Love Is Wicked: Eclipse!
by Beloved Goddess
Summary: He was everything that was average, She was anything but average. He was of a normal family, she was from a rich family. He was a nerd, she was a bad girl, when their two worlds collide, could both have something to offer to the other? Read and Review.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note**

Ok my faithful readers. I know i am not allowed to start another story until all the ones i have out are completed (especial apology to **Artistia**, this i hope will be the last of a new story until all the others have been completed.) There is a reason why i am writing this fanfic. a loyal reader and reviewer of mine who have become a personal friend of mine mentioned that there were never enough fanfics of **bad girl nerd boy **and i promised her that i would do something about that. However i didn't know how to write a fanfic using Darien and Serena in that kind of a story. its heard to picture Darien as a complete nerd. I mean even if he is a nerd, you can't picture him as the normal nerd as his presence is so overwhelming. I thought about it, how i could create a nerdy Darien without defacing him or coming short of expectations, in the end this is all i can do and i hope it does not upset my readers.

For you **shana elmsford** who have been a constant reader and reviewer of all my stories, for being as loyal a friend as my real life ones. i hope this will satisfy your need for such a story though i will warn you, i am not so good with this story, it is very sketchy in my head right now and this will probably be the biggest challenge that i will face as a fanfic writer, but all the same i hope you enjoy every bit of it.

And oh, this will be a very slow updates (hopefully not) but i also have to update on several stories and my schedule is very tight and restricted so don't kill me for spans of time when i don't update. Also i do not plan to make this a long story but then again, i never plan for any of my stories. what will come out will in the end.

For you **Lovely, shana elmsford** and **Artistia **for being special!^^

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**Eclipse**

**Chapter 1

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"Daddy, what story will you tell me this time?" A young girl with pink hair and red eyes asked as she settled under her pink, rose pattern comforter. She looked no older than 7 or 8 but was in fact turning 10 as the morning would bring about her birthday. For as long as she could remember, her father had always told her bed time stories, so today was no different for her. Settled under the comforter, she only knew the warmth of being sheltered and the confidence that she would hear another great story from her most trusted living being, her father. Her trusting large eyes stared out at the man sitting on a chair by her side, her mouth curved up a little in an excited smile as she waited with anticipation.

She would not be disappointed.

"Mmm…now let see. What kind of story do you want to hear munchkin?" The man by the bed asked.

"I don't know. I am tired of all the princess stories though I like the moon princess one. I want something different." The little girl answered. The man sat still for a minute, pondering on something that seemed rather important then finally he sighed. He gazed down at his daughter and his eyes filled with a distant knowledge that had been kept shut for so many years.

"Daddy?" The girl asked quietly. He tore himself from his thoughts and looked at the little girl and in his eyes a decision was made, a painful decision but none the less, he was not going to change his mind.

"I wanted to wait until you grew up a little more then tell you this but I think that now is the time to tell. Tomorrow you will be going to meet some very important people, they are a part of your past but only you can decide if they can play a part in your future. Now sweetie, do you know what an eclipse is?" The man asked. The little girl nodded.

"Well of course. It is when the moon blocks the sun and cast a shadow over the world is it not?"

"That it is. But there are three kinds of eclipse. The one you just described is a solar eclipse, and then there is the lunar eclipse."

"Isn't that when the earth passes between the moon and the sun? When they are in alignments?"

"Very good dear. You are very knowledgeable."

"That's cause daddy taught me well!" she said with a smile and the man returned the smile.

"Why I thank you for that. Yes, there is a Solar Eclipse and a Lunar Eclipse and there is the Eclipse that is just used in contexts. To hide, to conceal, to obscure, to cover, Hide from view, to over shadow, to disappear and to Darken. The definition of an Eclipse. That is the story I will tell you tonight, Eclipse. This is a very important story so pay absolute attention ok?" he said and the child nodded.

"Is this the book you were writing?" the man looked at her in surprise.

"Yes, but how did you know?"

"I saw your manuscript on the table."

"Oh. Well yes. The book will be published in about a month, before that you will be the first to know. Now what did I say the book is called again?"

"Eclipse."

"Very good. Now let's start. Not so long ago, I was returning home from school. Normally, I always took the bus but this time I felt a need to walk. It was such a beautiful day….."

**(The main story starts now.)**

The sky was pure blue and the air smelt green. There were birds dancing on the gentle breeze of the wind the street was filled with the chatter of humans and the harmonious songs of the hummingbirds. For the first time in a long time, I cast my loneliness and boredom away. School had predictably gone by with nothing new or exciting and the thought of heading back into another predictable dull existence at home weighted heavily on my heart. I needed a moment to clear my head so I hadn't gotten on the blue school buss, preferring to walk instead. I wanted to delay my return home for as long as I could so I took a path that lay opposite my house and walked on, appreciating the quiet solitude I felt as I drifted away from the crowded streets of Jubban. I kept walking on, not knowing exactly where I was going but wanting to put as much distance as I could between me and the house that awaited my return.

My walk took me on the street of Lunar, a quiet suburban neighborhood with clean cut lawns, white and clean houses that housed rich and high class bastards with their refine manners and their condescending gazes. I had never had much love for the rich. My family wasn't poor exactly, we were normal. My dislike of the rich stemmed from the attitudes of the students in our school as the school is that of the rich. The only reason I was accepted there was because of my scholarship which covered my entire tuition though I had to pay for books and school trips on my own. The students were stuck ups, always getting in your face with their rich backgrounds and making the less fortunate feel envy and jealousy for something they would never have. But for us who entered the school on scholarships, we were the most teased and pitiable to them. We, to them, had no class and certainly did not belong in the school. I'd dealt with it since freshmen year of high school all the way into my college years, and after this term came to an end, I would only have one more year to endure them before going on to Harvard University. Or so was the plan.

I pulled out of my thoughts long enough to realize I had come to a dead end; Lunar was a dead end street. I turned around on my right only then hearing the gentle and beautiful melody which hauntingly flowed on the wind. The last house at the end of the street was painted in absolute white and had a brick wall surrounding it to the front when iron bar gates locked the house behind its defense. I saw there was a crowd of spectators gazing at something as if enchanted. As I drew closer, I understood their glaze expressions. I was without a doubt mine had glazed over too. A boy or a man sat behind a glossy black piano playing soft harmonious melodies. I stood with the spectators, watching him and listening to him. He was as beautiful as the song he produced. He had rich silver wait hair, eyes I could not tell the color of but it was one of those slanted eyes that were so adored by the females. He was well built from the little I could see him and dressed in a dressy white pant, a white T-shirt and a blazer. His eyes were closed as he played the piano. I had never seen such a beautiful person let alone a man, a true model in the flesh.

A few minutes later, the door of the house or mansion as it was opened and another beautifully crafted male model walked out. This one was carrying a guitar, had shoulder length wavy golden hair that for some reason enhanced his manliness. He had a smile or a smirk as I couldn't be sure on his lips, a sort of a lopsided smile and he moved with the grace of a lion. He sat opposite the man playing the piano and joined in with his guitar, the two totally different instruments creating a harmonious, relaxing music that entranced us all. There was something peaceful and graceful about them and I knew if someone did not drag me away physically, I may probably stay enchanted in their music all day and night. A second time the door of the big house opened and two identical females walked out. Same height, same pale golden hair color, large grayish blue eyes and full lips that turned up in a warm smile as their gazes landed on the two men playing the instruments. I not only felt but heard my heart flutter in my chest.

Beautiful. Was all I could think as the two extremely lovely ladies joined the second man on the couch he sat on. It was a very rich black leather couch. They hummed along with the music, their soft and gentle voice adding a touch of something even more magical the entire scene. This was unreal; it was like looking into a fairytale picture book. They seemed so unreal and so out of this world, they did not belong. After about twenty minutes, a man and a woman walked out of the house for the third time and walked toward them. The ladies rose up to meet them, giving them kisses on the cheeks. From behind the man and woman came another male, the youngest of all the males if not by his shorter height then by the softer, quieter look about him. He had curly soft beige hair and the same color eyes with the same slant as all the men. The woman had long golden hair to her wait, dark gray eyes which felt icy as it was directed toward us. But on her lips a warm smile appeared for the beautiful people. She was every bit as beautiful as the young ladies but there was something cold about her. I knew she was older though no wrinkles showed on her face; it was not by look that gave her away. The air she carried around herself so thickly broke no question that she was in charge but of what I didn't know. The man she had walked out with had a lighter color of blonde hair, bright blue eyes and I had a second image of him on a throne as a king in ancient times. He had broad shoulders and his laughter from whatever one of the younger ladies had said shook and bounced of the ears in hearty bass.

The last boy who came out returned inside and came out a moment later holding two comfortable looking chairs and placed them by the silver haired man playing the piano, opposite the couch where the guitar man sat. The woman and the man sat down and the boy returned inside only to return with another chair where he placed it not too far from the small three stairs that led to the entrance of the house. The chatted silently so I could not make out what they were talking about but there was a lot of laughter and giggles. Deep inside I felt a yearning stir in me and I had a moment wish to be a part of them. I was totally bespelled by the magical creatures before me. Beauty, grace and manners, they were the personification of them all.

I don't know how long I stood there, enthralled in the glamour of them. I only know I came out of the daze by the screeching of tires behind me. When I looked back, I saw an odd shade of brown haired girl parking just right by the gate where we stood not even a foot away. She didn't look up; she was putting things in a purse. I look around to see if anyone was looking but the spectators attention were securely and totally devoted to the audience inside. The girl step out of the car, looked at the gate and rolled her eyes with a sigh. She pressed the remote for the convertible black car she just park and it totally shut down. Then she began walking towards us. Her steps sure and wide. No, it was her whose steps were like that of a lion, not the second man. Compared to her, his was a baby lion. There was a purpose about her walk, a hurry and a stiffness as well. When she reached the gate that was blocked by the fascinated audience, she took something out of her purse and I saw it was a whistle. She blue hard on it.

The sudden squeal of the whistle destroyed the mood created by the harmony of the music from inside the gate. Startled, all looked back at her.

"Move!" she barked at those blocking her way and as if warned by some protective instinct, they all scattered to the sides, leaving a wide arch to the gates. That girl was dangerous. She was beautiful too though not so outstanding at the ladies in the gate. She was wearing black mini jean skirt; a black skinny hand tank top and a short black jean jacket that came just under her breasts which I noticed were big. I blushed at my gaze but it stood up so nicely it was hard not to notice. She had a big butt too and I scowled myself for noticing such things as a pervert. I had never ever notice things like that about girls I realized then but hers stood up front and back not to notice. Her legs were encased in black leather boots with long heels and leather lace tied up zig zagingly to where the boot stopped at her knee. She had long legs and I could not help but peak at the exposed flesh of her legs up to her lower thighs where the skirt ended. Her hair was held up high ponytail which ended in wavy currents at her lower ankles. She had bewitching silver eyes with dancing specks of sapphire and her lips, though full and black with lipstick I suspected, was set in a thin line, her eyes hardened and her face expressionless.

She walked purposefully to the gate and pushed it open. She entered and the gate shut back behind her. The music that had lost its magic when she had blew the whistle drew the people back into it's enthrall but the spell on me was broken and all my eyes cared to follow was the girl. She walked a ways away from the people and into the house. My eyes stared at the door way, expecting her to come out but she didn't for a very long time. I was not even aware when the sun began to dim away and one by one the people were leaving.

Finally as if in answer to my expectations, she came out of the house dressed in a tight body fitting dress that ended at her very upper thighs. She carried a small purse with her and wore really high red heels that tied at her ankles. Her hair was different, it was pure silver now. It might have been died which was why it had that odd brown color but with the die out and her hair let loose in curls that framed her heart shaped face, she was a knock out. Much more enchanting than any of the other golden haired ladies in the house.

"Don't you know when and how to greet your family after two days of disappearing? Where are you going?" there was an icy edge to the lady's voice which visibly shook me but the silver haired girl did not so much as bat an eye as she continued to walk to the gate.

"Move from the gate." This the lady directed at the remainder of us who were stile ogling them. We drew back in time to see a sort of electricity charged through the metal bars. My eyes opened in astonishment. The gate was well protected by shock waves, if any one tried to sneak in, they would be shock to their death! I looked up and my eyes came in utter contact with hers. She was not shaken by the electricity; she continued to walk to the gate.

"Serenity, mother is talking to you." the third boy said. This stopped her and she seemed to sigh inwardly. She turned around to stare at her 'family'.

"My going and coming has never been a concern of hers, so why now?" She asked blankly and I could detect not a single trace of emotion in it.

"Serenity…" there was a warning in the voice of the silver haired piano man.

"If you have nothing better to say to me then I must be on my way. I have people waiting for me." She turned around to the gate again, her eyes pinning me completely to hers.

"Tomorrow we start school. Please do us the honor of showing up." One of the young ladies said with raw sarcasm and a smirk spread on 'Serenity's' lips.

"I'll be sure to not disappoint." She said, took something out of her purse and three it at the gate when she was a foot away. Whatever it was she threw at the gate, there was a second of explosion as soon as it came into contact and she jumped really high over the Iron gate, flipping and somersaulting over it to our side.

A spider fell to the floor and she crashed it under her heels. When she removed her heels, the spider was nothing more than pieces of it former self. I realized then that it was a real life spider but a robotic one. It might had had some sort of momentarily power shut of circuit which would shut of the electricity for a moment, the moment she needed to jump over it. She turned around with a gloating smile and blew her family a kiss before walking to the other side of the car and taking the drivers seat. She turned on the car, looked hard at me and swerved the car around. Before she stepped on the petal, she turned her gaze to me, gave me a smile and blew me a kiss before zooming out of sight. My heart thudded painfully in my chest and sank in a sort of heavy relief. In all my 17 and half years of life, this was the most exciting thing that had ever happened to me.

I felt something deep and uncontrollable stir inside my soul and somehow I knew life wasn't going to be boring ever again!

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Thank you for reading^^

Please **Review **for me!


	2. Chapter 2

**Eclipse**

**Chapter 2**

By the time I returned home, it was late and mother was furious. She fretted about me and gave me a long lecture of why you shouldn't worry your mother. In the end, I apologized, as usual, and excused myself to take a shower. I found supper on my bed, no matter how angry she gets with me, mother will always be mother. I graciously ate every single drop of rice off the plate, realizing just how hungry I really was. When I was done, I took my plates downstairs and washed it up, took a bottle of water and bade my mother a good night.

"Have you finished all your homework?" Mother asked, she always forgot that I was no longer in high school but in college but then again, my life never changes so who was she to remember that I was in college when I was still on the same campus as I was in during my high school years?

"I have one more left; I will do it now before retiring to bed." I answered.

"Good, we must keep you at the top of your school if you want that scholarship to Harvard." She said.

"Yes mother. Goodnight then." Inside my room I sat absolutely still on my bed.

_No mother, you want the scholarship, not me._ I thought. For as long as I could remember, my mother had pushed me pointedly toward Harvard University to become a doctor or a lawyer but what I wanted to be was just a writer. She had work her hardest to put me through the best of schools and when we had nothing, she had borrowed and borrowed until we were so deeply buried in debts that we came to work for the person whose money we could not pay back even if we worked for him our entire lives. That was why mother pushed me towards being a doctor, so I could have a much easier life than her. For many years I had shut down my own desires but as I gradually approach my senior year of college, the voice inside me becomes more insistent and harder to shut up. I could not let my mother down, for all that she had done for me the least I could do was be the doctor she wanted me to be even if I had no interest in it. I managed to help my mother out by earning a full scholarship from high school to college, graduating as the valedictorian came in handy.

I took my homework out which really wasn't anything more than reading a couple of pages and began reading but I lost focus five minutes into it. That Serenity girl haunted my thoughts, I was seeing her all over again and I flushed at the image of the certain parts of her I had accidentally noticed. Suddenly an image I had not seen interrupted my thoughts. It was such a powerfully strong image that it burned my brain and I could not shake it off. The image was of her lying on a white bed naked and flushed as she stared at me with raw need and lust.

_Pervert!_

A tiny voice in me teased but I was far too engrossed in that picture to argue back. I pushed the book to the floor and hid under my cover, hoping it would block the image away.

I woke up feeling more tired that I had going to sleep, bags of sleep deprivation showed under my eyes. I wasn't worried; my glasses would hide the bags as well as my long bangs and messy hair. I took a quick shower and dressed for school before going down stairs for breakfast.

As always, mom was gone but on the dinning table sat fried eggs, a cup of orange juice and two circles of pancakes.

"Eat and study hard at school. And let me know the next time you stay out too late!" the letter she had left behind read. I folded it and threw it into the waste bin before sitting to eat. Looking at the time, I realized I was up way too early. I had at least forty-five minutes. I could leave but then that would mean leaving Amy behind and in the mercy of her royal majesty, Rei Hino.

It was her father that my mother had borrowed so much money from and now it was them we served, my mother was the head cook in their estate and so she had to always be there by five. The man was pleasant enough but his daughter, Rei, was a truly unpleasant character. She was a bitch in every sense of the word and often times Amy, my childhood friend whose mother also worked for Rei's family, was often used as her outlet to vent of her frustration. It was not uncommon to see a bruise here or there on Amy. It wasn't a big bruise but a bruise is still a bruise. If I stepped in to protect Amy, it would not go well for any of us and really, I lacked the courage to do it. So I do the little I could, accompany Amy to school so that she doesn't have to go with Rei.

While waiting for the time to strike 7, I took out the book I had discarded the night before in favor of thoughts of the forbidden fruit and decidedly forced myself to read it, twice. I was determined to think nothing of the cause of my not so innocent fantasy the night before but it was hard.

A knock came at my door. I looked at the time and it read 7 am.

Amy was here.

As predicted, I opened the door to the innocent face of her smiling.

"Morning." She said brightly.

"Yeah, I'm just about ready."

"About?" she asked. And I smiled.

"Yes, about." I slide the book back inside my back pack, picked up my key and went to the door where she was waiting. I locked the door behind me before welcoming the cool air of the morning.

"Ready now?" she asked teasingly.

"Always." I said and we began walking.

"So how is her royal pain in the ass?" I asked conversationally. Amy was a shy, smart girl with a cute face which was often hidden by her glasses. She had short hair that framed her face and head and had a pleasant personality but she was so shy that no matter how long she knows a person, if someone doesn't start conversation, she won't. She was two years older than me but we were in the same grade. I had just graduated earlier from high school and she graduated as the valedictorian from her own high school, earning a scholarship for college. Like me, she plans to go to Harvard University but unlike me she has real interest in the medical field.

"Oh Rei is fine. I guess some friends of her will be coming to our school today." She said.

"Yay, more bitches to deal with." The sarcasm was extra thick in my voice and Amy laughed.

"Where did you go yesterday?" she asked suddenly.

"Ah…I just wanted to go for a walk." I answered. It was the truth; I had gone for a walk.

"Until 8?" she said skeptically. Mother had told her I guessed.

"I lost track of time." She was silent, weighing my words to see if I spoke the truth or was holding back on her. We reached the crowded bus station and I grabbed a hold of her hand as I forced our way to the front. I would have liked to stand back from the shoving and all but Amy and I were 'nerds' and if there was no open seat, no one who wasn't classified as a nerd will willing allow us to sit by them and most of the nerds tended to sit together so they had no open space for us. The faster you get in, the less of a chance of you standing up when the car was in motion. The bus arrived at its appointed time and I dragged Amy among all who struggled to get in first. Lucky for us, there was a seat at the back opened, I reached it before anyone could and waited to see who would be the unlucky people standing. There were five of them, three nerds and two normal. The 'normal' people were allowed to sit at the open spaces and even though there were three spaces left for the nerds to sit, those spaces or seats were by high class students, sitting next to them will earn you a weak of torture. It was better to stand.

"This is awful." Amy said.

"Get used to it." It wasn't mean but this is how it had always been, commenting on it would do no good and might actually get you in trouble if heard by the wrong ears. Even the bus driver couldn't say anything.

We arrived at the school fifteen minutes later and graciously we got out of the bus. The rich students were arriving in all sorts of limos, sports cars and all cars under the sun. I had seen it too many times to stare in admiration. Into the building Amy and I walked and into our sanctuary we took shelter, the library.

I loved libraries, not because I was a classified nerd but the smell of old books calmed me in the same way coffee did. It was intoxicating; most times I would sit in the library for hours in other to be comforted by the warm promise of a night spent by a fireplace. That was what the cent of old books reminded me off. Amy and I sat by a window seat, took out our personal books and silently read until the bell rang and we hurried to the classroom.

There was a sort of excitement in the room, probably cause Rei and her followers were hurdled together gossiping about possible students coming to the school. I paid little attention as I laid my head up on the table as a picture of the beautiful silver haired temptress crossed my mind. I groaned, one day and I long to see her again? I was too engrossed in my thoughts of Serenity, only this time my thoughts were about her cold attitude to her family. Obviously there was a plot I was missing and I would never know but hecks I was curious. I don't know when the teacher got everybody to shut up but I became aware of my surroundings when the teacher mentioned something about several new students. I lifted my head long enough for my jaw to drop to the floor as in a single file, the magical family I had seen yesterday filed inside. I kept looking at the door, expecting her to come in but she didn't. And two of the siblings weren't there either, the silver haired piano man and the guitar man.

"I will have them introduce themselves." Mr. Fey said.

"Hello everyone. My name is Selene Star, Please take care of me." one of the twin sisters said and looking at them closer, there was this shift about them that set them apart. Though if one wasn't seriously trying to look to find something to separate them, they wouldn't notice the small difference. It was the air they carried about themselves.

"My name is Selena Star, pleasure to make your acquaintance." The other twin said. While Selene carried an air of authority, Selena was more neutral.

"My name is Terence Star; I will be under your care." The curly haired brother introduced himself. There was silence in the room. I looked around and saw all the guys and girls in the room had hearts in their eyes. And this time they weren't playing any music to enchant anyone.

"Are we not missing another of your siblings?" Mr. Fey asked as he glanced confusedly at a paper he held.

"Yes but she will show up later." The sigh that escaped my lips was the testimony of the breath I was holding just to hear him say that. She WOULD come, just later. I could wait a little more.

Then what? A little voice inside me asked.

What do you mean then what?

She shows up. What does that have to do with you? I said nothing. One did not argue with one self, especially when I didn't have a good argument to fight back.

"Terence, Selene, Selena. It's been a while." Rei said, drawing all attention on herself as she stood up and walked to the new comers.

"Rei, wow. It is excellent to see a familiar face among the sea of strangers." Selene said as she approached Rei and the two embraced.

"I was so very delighted when father said you guys might be coming to my school. Come, sit with me." She said as she gave Selena a hug. She approached Terence and I noticed something rather interesting.

"Good morning. It has been a while has it not?" Terence said, but there was no emotion in his voice.

"And you are ever so cold." She replied to him.

"I am who I am."

"So you are. Care to sit by me?"

"I have a mind to sit by an open window if you don't mind."

"Feel free to sit where you like." Rei said and turned back to the sisters who were sitting together on the double chair beside Rei's single chair. Rei had been trying to make a claim at Terence but he had not taken the bait. No matter how calm she was on the outside, Rei was fuming inside and this made me smirk. Not every guy would trip over themselves for you princess! I was starting to like Terence already.

And as he had said, he took a seat by the window, two seats in front of me. The sisters were lost in conversation with Rei and I kept looking from them to Terence who sat quietly peering outside. Eventually the teacher managed to quiet us down enough to get class started.

The activities for today was revision of homework, learn new things then for the last 20 or so minutes of the class time, we will spend on a get to know activity.

"What's that?" One of the not so bright student asked.

"Getting to know each other." Mr. Fey said.

"But didn't we do that at the beginning of the semester?" someone else said.

"Yes we did but this is different. You are to choose a partner and this person will be your partner for the remainder of the school year. Now you and that partner are going to do a project and the project must reflect both of you. This is why I will be giving you time after lessons to talk with people in class and see who you can work best with. This project will count as fifty percent of you overall grade." Our teacher explained. I groaned, I hated team work. I have never been a team player, why do you think I want to be an author? Worst of all, working with people always holds me back and also half the time I always end up doing all the work.

Everybody started talking about the project and their voices escalated until we were hushed up by Mr. Fey.

"I said at the end of our lesson! Now open to page 85 in your text book." He said and followed suit. Mr. Fey was one of the few people who did not tolerate talking in his class during lesson time so if you were to walk into our class, you would feel as if you are in a cemetery. It's dead quiet and every student is focused on taking notes, learning and just giving their all to pass the class because it was hard. And since this is a math class, it is very important to maintain an A average, for your GPA's sakes

"Close your books." Mr. Fey Finally said. I looked up at the time and it was exactly 20 minutes before we exchange classes. As I was drifting my eyes back to my paper in front of me, I paused to stare at the person standing at the door.

"I believe this is my class." She said as she walked inside with all the swagger of a queen. I could not turn my gaze away, not even to see others reaction towards her.

"And you are?"

"Serenity Star." She answered our teacher.

"Oh I see. Well, welcome Miss Star, though I must insist that from now on you start class with us." Mr. Fey said.

"If I feel like it." She answered back. I blinked. This girl was strange. I saw Mr. Fey's brow lift up and she smiled so sweetly he even blinked.

I have said it before but this girl was dangerous.

"Please take a seat wherever you may so choose." Mr. Fey said. I managed to pull my gaze away to look around to see what chair was closest to me. Everyone was staring at her. The boys were drooling and others just stared wide eyed. There was a look of cross resolve on her sisters' face and he brother was staring at her almost, sadly. I looked at her again, only then realizing why the guys were drooling. She had on a very short black skirt. It was so short it divided her lower thighs and upper things equally. And she had on a dark red tank top which left a good portion of her breasts exposed even though she had on a the skirts matching jacket. But it was a small jacket and it was left open at the front. The dark colors of the outfit made her alabaster skin stand out. I followed from the end of the skirt down her looooooong legs to the heels she was wearing. It was about five inches off the ground I was sure and it clutched up to her ankle. The heels matched the dark red tank top. I looked straight up, past her breasts to her hair which was up in the ponytail as it had been yesterday. One again I trailed my eyes back down, only to stop and blush with mortification when I realized I was caught staring.

"Like what you see?" She asked directly at me. This brought all the class attention on me and I wanted to disappear.

"Um…" Great, what a smart reply.

"Pervert." I heard one of the girls say and I wanted to die.

She chuckled and I looked up at her.

"There is nothing wrong with look. If it's meant not to be looked at, it would have been covered." She said and I turned my face away, I knew I was blushing to the roots of my being. I heard the clicks of her heels as they drew closer to me. When I looked up, she was standing next to the guy who sat in front of me.

"Pardon me." she said to the guy whose eyes were wide and staring right at her boobs. I was annoyed.

"Do you mind letting me have this seat. I easily get hot so I like to sit by windows, that way the breeze can cool me down." She said but the guy did not reply, just stared at her.

"She is talking to you block head." Terence's voice was cold. It effectively snapped the guy out of his trance. He blushed in humiliation, picked up his books and bag quickly and immediately evacuated the chair.

"Thank you." She said to him and dropped her black book bag by the desk. She sat down, all of us staring at her for a full minute.

She is sitting by me. it finally dawned on me and butterflies began to dance in my stomach. I couldn't think anymore, all I saw was a mass of endless long silver hair.

"Ahem." The teacher said with a few coughs. We tore our attention from the fascinating beautiful creature to the teacher who seemed to also be suffering from hormones.

"Well like I explained earlier. Pick a partner, someone you can work well with because he or she will be your partner for the rest of the school year in everything. And the two of you must create a project that reflects both of you. We have almost twenty minutes of class time left, make the best of it. Once you have picked your partner, write you names on the piece of paper I will pass to you and return it back to me. By next week, I will expect you to have come up with what it is you and your partner plans to do." He said. He picked up four bowls on his table and gave it to the first person on each roll.

"Pick one and pass it out." he said and I saw the first person pick a white piece of paper. Four by four. The bowls were passed down the rolls until the one on my line came to me. I made to grab it but her eyes, so light stopped me.

"Hi, call me Serena. Do you want to be my partner?" She asked and I nodded dumbly.

"Good. Thank you." She said and pushed the bowl closer to me. I snapped out of it, took the bowl and took out my piece of paper before passing it back to her to pass it forward since I was the last person.

Once the teacher recollected the bowls, he turned back to us.

"You may bow begin." He said and it suddenly got noisy. From the corner of my eyes I saw a lot of guys walking toward 'Serena.' I wanted to stand up and stand in front of her exclaiming she has chosen me. But I really am not that stupid.

The first guy that reached her said, "Will you be my partner?" This was Bret, the big headshot. The quarterback. The school's proudest fool. He had a new girlfriend every week. He and Rei had an on and off relationship. Meaning sex whenever possible, but no more.

"Sorry, though you are my type, I already have a partner." Serena answered, her face a perfect reflection of remorse. I wanted to cry. If she didn't want to be my partner, she can just say so.

"Oh?" Bret said. She stood up and turned her chair around to face me. then drew the chair closer, sat down and took my hands which were on the table into her own.

"This fine gentleman is my choice. Maybe another time." She said with a smile to him. Bret looked at me and I saw all the threats he could not say out loud to me.

"Well, if you grow bored of him, you know where to find me." he said.

"Yes, inside some girl's ass." Rei answered. He turned around and glared at her. Serena chuckled.

"I will be sure to take your invitation if that came to be." She replied.

"I look forward to that." Bret answered.

"I bet you do." Rei also said.

"Will you get off my back woman!" Bret said.

"Last I heard, it was Denna who was laying you." Rei replied. I turned my attention back to my partner and found her staring at me. She smiled, with her head slightly tilted. Because she was shorter than me and she was sitting down, I had such an open view of her cleavage. I looked everywhere but there but boy was it hard.

"I'm sorry if I took you away from someone you wanted to be your partner." She said and I shook my head.

"No, there is no one…" I stopped. Amy! I turned around immediately to look at her at the other side of the room. she had been staring at me and when I looked her direction, she immediately turned away.

"Oh no." I said.

"What?" she asked.

"Amy." I said as if that is suppose to explain everything to the new comer.

"Amy?" she asked and I turned my attention to her. I was torn. Whether to go to my old and best friend or to be partnered with this girl I was seriously fantasizing about.

"My bestfriend. She is so shy that if I don't partner up with her, she won't have a partner and the teacher will have to assign her one." I explained.

"Oh I see." She said and looked at the direction I had been looking. It was hard to miss Amy, she sat by herself against the wall, looking down at her hands.

"Let me see what I can do." Serena said and stood up. She walked to her brother and the two whispered about something. I saw her brother turned to look at Amy, back at Serena for a few more words before getting up. He sighed and I saw Serena raise herself up with a triumphant smile. She walked back to me.

"My brother hates working with people outside our family. But Amy seems like the quiet type so it won't bother him that much." She said to me. I nodded. I watched as she approached her and I realized I wasn't the only one staring. He spoke softly to her and she blushed madly. She nodded, picked up her book bag and followed him back to his seat, and the seat in front of him that was vacant.

Turning back to my own goddess, I saw a dangerous look cross Rei's features. No…this was not good at all.

"I don't think it's a good idea for Amy to work with your brother." I said to her but she only cock her head to the side, like a bird.

"Why?" she asked, clearly confused.

"Because…" I said, staring at Rei who was glaring at Amy.

"Oh don't worry about her. For as long as we've known her, she has always liked him. He cares nothing for her though." Serena explained.

"Maybe so, but Amy and I both work for her family. It's bad enough the way he treats Amy, this might make it worse."I told her.

"She is still a bitch isn't she? Don't worry, I will take care of your friend." She said.

"But…" I began to protest.

"Don't you trust me?" she said, staring deep into my eyes. God, I felt she was looking into my soul. I felt helpless against her.

"I will protect her. Trust me." she said again and I found myself nodding. I trusted her, stupid yes, but I just couldn't find the mind to not trust her.

"Good. Now, tell me about yourself." She said. I thought about it, what was there to tell? Other than the fact that I had graduated as valedictorian, very smart and heading for Harvard, there was nothing I could tell her that wouldn't make me look pathetic. And telling her I was smart would seem like I was boasting.

"My name is Darien Shields. I really don't know what to say. There really isn't anything to say." I said, running my hand through my hair.

"Nothing at all?" she asked.

I shrugged. I really had nothing to say. She was quiet for a long time.

"I easily get bored with people. Especially those with nothing to say. But since I was the one who picked you to be my partner, I will have to see it through to the end. But I am telling you straight up, I am not the typical teenage girl. I party hard and I will screw anyone to get what I want. I live as I please and do things at my own time. You are cute, I thought so yesterday. Just cut your bangs, put you in some fine clothes and get rid of your glasses and you will be a knock out. Seeing all this possibilities is why I find myself talking to you or else I will be on Bret's lap by now." She said all this in a matter of fact way I knew she was not lying. She leaned in closer to me.

"I can already tell you are smart, you pretty much fit the word nerd. And that's a good thing but if you are going to get me to work hard, you will have to entertain more than just my mind. My body needs a constant companion. Virgins don't do me any good but I'm willing to educate you in the pleasures of the body." She said and drew back. I hadn't realized I was holding in my breath until it escaped out of me in a sigh. She smiled innocently at me as if she hadn't just said some very disturbing but heart throbbing words to me.

"Other than that, I am often busy with my affairs. I do not at all appreciate people who likes to dig into others business. Also while I'm here, you will be my errand boy. Come when I say so and go when I say so or it might not go so well for you. But if you obey me like a good little boy," she said as she rubbed my cheek. "Then I promise you will have just as much fun." She said and sat back up.

"Let me know what you decide to do for the project." She said and turned around back to face the front.

What?!

What the heck is going on?! Now I was her boy toy?! When had I agreed to this?! And why can't I say anything back at her in my defense. I am pathetic. I looked to where Amy and Terence were working and blinked. She was smiling and giggling and there was this look of wonder on her face I had to blink again. I really hoped Amy wasn't falling in love with him. As much as I was beginning to like Terence, there is the threat from Rei and his sister is whack.

"Seems they are getting along." She said and I turned my attention to her and turned away immediately. I nodded at her comment.

"Hopefully we get along great too." She said and she winked as soon as I looked at her and she turned back to face the front. I sighed, I knew I was going to be doing this assignment all by myself.

And what could I make that expressed a nerd boy and a slutty teenage girl? Photo album? Write a story? Poem? What?

I reviewed other ideas in my head but nothing seemed to fit her and I. We were like magnets, total opposite.

"Every one, put you and your partner's name on both papers chosen by you and your partner. Send one of the papers forward and come take one of these three ring binders. That is where all assignments in regards to this project will go to. I will have you turn in the binder at the end of every week to evaluate your works and ideas for the week. Now the other paper, you will tape it to the binder so I know what group each binder belongs to. You have five minutes till the bell rings. I need this done. Hand in the binder as you walk out of class. If you finish, you may leave even before the bell rings." Mr. Fey said.

I took out a pen, but I couldn't seem to make myself right her name on it. I saw her get up, walk to the teacher and handed him her paper. Then she went to where the binders were and picked out one. Others followed her example. When she reached her desk, she sat down, turned around and dropped the black binder on my table.

"I've done my part, now it's your turn. I will see you around, _**partner**_." She put such emphasis on the word that I was almost scared. I watched her stand up and walk past the teacher and out the door. Bret followed her immediately. I sighed.

What had I gotten myself into?

* * *

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	3. Chapter 3

**Love Is Wicked: Eclipse**

**Chapter 3**

Of all my 8 classes, I had 4 with her. Math class in the morning, another before lunch and after lunch and the last class of the day, art. At each class, she sat by me and I heard that other class she had that I wasn't in it, she was sitting with Bret or any of those football stars. During lunch, she sat with the popular crowd. Her brother and sisters, Rei, Mina, Bret and all the other jocks and bitches of the school. I tried not to look but I could not help it, Bret and she were flirting heavily. I saw his hand on her neck, back, face, lips and even down to her breasts! We were in school for goodness sake! I tried not to scowl but it was hard. When I realized Amy wasn't saying anything, I looked at her and notice she was staring at something. I followed her gaze and it landed on Troy who sat by the window with Rei right beside him. He looked bored.

"Please don't fall in love with him Amy. I don't want you to get hurt." I said, a bit hypocritical since I was having the same problem. She looked at me in alarm, blinked and blushed madly.

"I've…I've just never met someone like him who is so kind." She said. Someone like him, meaning rich, beautiful people.

"I know. And I want to be happy for you but I worry." I said softly.

"I know Darien. I'm not stupid. I am way out of he is way out of my league." She said, sorrow clouding her eyes.

"No. You are way out of his league." She looked up at me, smiled a little and said thank you.

"No Amy, I really mean that. You are too good a person to be wasted on the likes of them."

"You think so?" she asked, her eyes begging for confirmation.

"I know so." Her eyes wavered with grateful tears. I leaned in and kissed her forehead.

"Thank you." She said again and I smiled. I looked up and found Troy staring at me. I stared back at him before he looked away. How was it so easy for me to stare at him and not his sister? Speaking of his sister, she was almost sitting on Bret's lap. I gritted my teeth and turned away.

Finally, art class, last class of the day came to an end. We still have ten minutes but we were done with all our works and that which had to be turned in were turned in. After that we were given freedom to talk and do whatever we wanted to until it was time to go. Since she was sitting by me, again, she turned herself to me and smiled.

"So, what do you think so far of me?" she asked. I shrugged. I wanted to say she was a bitch, a slut, a mean cold hearted evil temptress but the words would not escape. I felt if I said anything, I would cry. This was the first time I had ever felt this way about anyone and I didn't understand it. Was it love or lust? I was angry, at her, at Bret and at myself. I turned away from her.

"I guess that explains it." She said and turned back to the girls and boys she had been talking to. I picked up my things, went to the teacher and told her I needed to leave early. I run quickly to the library, knowing when Amy was ready she would come there to find me. In a corner of the library, my favorite place to be when I sought solitude, I placed my head in my hands and fought back the tears. I know I sound like a sissy, but if it was love I felt for her, then I really had a reason to cry. I was hurting and this kind of hurt I had never experienced.

Amy eventually showed up and we decided to walk home instead of take the bus. We both had much on our minds so the walk was very silent. It was Wednesday but I felt the end of the week couldn't come fast enough. But it did.

The next day, Serena didn't show up until lunch time. She didn't tell me anything, then again, I was avoiding her. I would hide as soon as she saw me and in class I sat in a different seat away from her. People were willing to trade seats with me so they can sit by her so that was no problem. And in art class, whenever she would draw closer to me I would immediately move away. I did not hide the fact that I was avoiding her.

Thursday and Friday she did not show up in school. Amy told me that Troy said she was sick. For some reason I did not believe it. Finally, the weekend was upon us. Saturday was as always, uneventful. For me anyways. Troy showed up at Amy's house so they could go to the library to do research on their project. She asked if I wanted to go but I said no. maybe I should have gone, I was after all trying to prevent her from falling in love with him and getting hurt in the end. But looking at them, I just felt that I was a third wheel. So I spent half the day helping my mother with her work, then the other half I went to see my other best friend who lived at the other side of town. It is half an hour's drive away but taking the bus often got us there in forty-five minutes.

Andrew, as always was serving customers. He was the proud heir to a popular teen arcade. The coolest place to hang out, for the middle and less fortunate class that it. The rich looked upon it with disgust. But it was such a relaxing place it was not surprising to see some rich people taking the risk to be there.

And as always, as soon as he saw me, he stopped serving, called his little sister to do it and rushed to me.

"Now you show up." He said and I looked at him in confusion.

"What?"

"Monday? You didn't come." He said.

"Oh."

"Yeah." He replied as we sat down. He called one of the waitresses to bring food to us and when it was delivered, he got down to question.

"So, what kept you?" He asked.

"I'm not sure. I felt the need to walk on the Monday and I ended up returning home about 8." I explained.

"What a long walk. So, tell me about this new girl you're crushing on." He asked and I looked at him with wide eyes. He grinned.

"How…"

"That doesn't matter. Tell me about her." He said.

"Amy." I said and I knew I was right.

"Ok, so I was grilling her on this Troy guy…"

"So to escape, she used me." I finished with a sigh.

"Yup and now I want to know every detail." I had meant to tell him as little as possible but I ended up spilling everything. We were quiet for a while after I had told him the whole story and he had finished asking questions. I so badly wanted to know what was going through his head.

"And no new developments has happened since then?" he asked for the third time.

"No."

"Well no duh. You keep avoiding her."

"What the hell else am I suppose to do?!" I asked. I was getting frustrated.

"Cool it. I'm just trying to see where things can go." He said and I sighed.

"It isn't going anywhere. That girl is dangerous. It's just a crush, it will go away in no time." I told him. He looked at me for a long time before looking outside through the glass wall of the arcade.

"I would be most likely to believe that if it came from anybody else, but not you Darien. You don't crush on people. You have met models, since you were a male model and never once did you find any of those gorgeous girls attractive in that way. I fear you may have just fallen very hard for her." He said and looked at me. I raised my brow. This was NOT up for debate. I knew it was just a silly crush which would go away in about a day or something. I was not going to be made the fool because of this.

"Yeah, you keep believing that but I'm done with this girl."

"You never started." He retorted and I glared at him.

"Whatever man, I'm out. It's getting late." I said.

"Aight, say hi to your mother for me and let me know what else happens." He replied.

"Nothing ELSE is going to happen." I said through gritted teeth.

"Mmm-hmph." Was all he mumbled and I rolled my eyes. This guy will not believe it until he sees it.

I returned straight home from the arcade. I felt tired; I always do when Andrew grills me like this about anything. Mother had left a note that she would return from the mansion late so I should eat dinner without her. She had made spaghetti and meatballs so I served myself. It was around eight thirty when a knock came at the door. I expected it to be Amy by the sound of the soft knock.

I went and opened the door, only to shut it immediately.

"How very cute and hospitable of you." Sarcasm dripped from Serena's every word. But I didn't care. My heart was racing a mile per second. What the hell was she doing here at my house?! Better yet, how had she known where I live?! My back was pressed against the door tightly as if she was pushing from the other side.

"Mrs. Shield, your son won't open the door for me." I heard her scream. Mother!? I quickly opened the door and she walked in before I could notice anything. I peered out, searching for mother but she wasn't there.

I've been doped.

"You're very easy to manipulate aren't you?" She said from behind me but I was determined not to turn from the door. I had had a glimpse of what she was wearing and I knew it was not in my best interest to look at her.

"Are you going to turn around, talk to me and offer me something to drink?" she asked but I said nothing. I heard her sigh. I did not hear her approach me though but I felt her. God help me. I whispered a silent prayer in my head.

"You know, I'm being very sensible right now. But if you continue to push me, I will make you lose your virginity tonight." She said. How was she being sensible when she was so intimately pressed against me from behind and she was whispering in my ears?!

"Darien, turn around and face me." she said. I wanted to, especially after her earlier threat but I couldn't. My body was stiff and it wouldn't obey what my mind was telling it to do.

"Darien..." she breathed against me ear and a shudder went through me. She sighed, pressed harder against me. I was startled so badly I turned around. Her hand had touched me! I mean as in…it had touched me in my private! She smiled triumphantly.

"There, isn't that better?" she said as she wrapped her hand around my neck. I was stiff against the door. My head was raised up.

"Look at me Darien." She said and run her fingers down my cheek. I gulped and slowly looked down. I was captivated by her shining silver eyes and blue specks. She smiled.

"You're as hard as a rock." She said and I knew it. But then I blink, her collar bone and upper chest was showing but her breasts weren't. She was actually decently dressed.

She rolled her eyes when she noticed that I was aware she was decently dressed.

"Men want to see me naked and you want to see me completely covered up. What a weirdo." She said and she pulled out a chair from the dining table and sat. I didn't reply. No, I was one of those men who wanted to see her naked but if I did, I wouldn't be able to think.

"Well?" she said.

"Well what?" I asked her after a minute. I was puzzled.

"Aren't you going to offer me something to drink, sit down so we can talk about why I'm here?" she asked, rolling her eyes.

"Oh. Um yeah…what do you want to drink?" Smooth.

"Nothing, sit so we can talk." Ok? I sat down and waited for her to talk. She rolled her eyes again.

"You know you can sit closer, I don't bite." You might as well I thought privately. She sighed when I didn't move. When she moved a seat up to me I moved a seat away.

"Really Darien? Really? What's the big deal? I'm just messing around with you is all." She said and that was exactly why I had to keep my distance. This was all just 'messing around' to her. If I got involve with her, I would be too serious it would drive me mad.

"Whatever. Anyway, I'm going to a club down town. I want you to escort me." she said. It took a moment for what she has said to register in my head.

"I don't go to clubs."

"You're a college student." She said.

"And I'm only seventeen." I told her. Her eyes opened wide.

"Really!?" she asked and I nodded.

"Wow! So you really are damn smart. Seventeen and already a junior in college."

"I skipped a couple grades."

"I bet." She answered. "So you're just a kid then."

"I am not! What about you, how old are you."

"Twenty."

"You're only three years older than me."

"Trust me, in the law, that makes all the difference."

"I will be turning eighteen in September." I said in my defense.

"One month from now. Mmm…guess it's not all that bad." She said with a thoughtful gaze.

"What's not all that bad?" I asked suspiciously. She raised a brow and turned to me with an odd smile.

"If I'm going to be screwing you, I want to at least know I won't be going to jail for it." She said and my eyes widened. She laughed.

"Don't worry, that is when you turn eighteen. Until then, I will entertain myself with the other available men. But all the same, I want you to go to the club with me." she said seriously.

"Mother will not approve." I told her and she sighed in frustration.

"Stop making excuses and go with me already!" she snapped.

"I can't!" I said and where I found the will to reject her offer I don't know. But I was not going to become one of her boy toys.

"I thought we made a deal." She said calmly.

"What deal?" seriously, what was she talking about.

"It's going to take more than entertaining my mind to get me involve in this project."

"Then I will just do it myself." I shot back at her.

"It's supposed to reflect you and me sweetie. How can you do the project to reflect me when you don't know me? This is why I am offering you the chance to know me in every environment." She said.

"I know that you go around sleeping with men like a…"

"Like what? Like a slut? Like a whore?" I didn't reply. She sighed and stood up, I did too. Ready to move away if she approached me.

"Very well. But if I don't ever offer you something like this again, know that it is your fault. A goodnight to you." She said, grabbed the big bag she had set beside her and walked to the door. She opened it and walked out, shutting the door gently behind her.

I sighed with relief. That was hard but not so hard. I can resist her!

But the smile soon turned sour as what I had just done crashed. I was probably never going to get such an invitation again.

_**Isn't that what you wanted?**_ My mind said

Yes, of course. I said

_**Pfft. You know that's not what you wanted.**_

How would you know?!

_**Because I am your mind.**_

Weren't you the one telling me to not get involved?

_**That was before your stupid heart came into the equation. You have to listen to both it and I now.**_

Well I choose not to be made a fool off!

_**Right….so you don't mind that she is at the club right now grinding with some stranger.**_

No

_**That she is being held and fondled by some stranger, even by Bret.**_

No

_**That she is seducing someone.**_

No

_**Kissing someone**_

No

_**Going to bed with a stranger.**_

NO! But this was not a 'no' that I don't mind. It was a no that I hope nothing of the sort was happening. Panic flooded in me. Stupid stupid stupid! You should have taken the chance when she offered it. I told myself. I ran my hands through my hair, stamped my foot, walked down and up but the worries only grew. What if she was doing all that with someone?

**What if? If you had taken her offer, you could be that someone.** My mind taunted.

Do you want to be used like that?! I snapped at myself.

_**Maybe. You don't know what's in to gain until you've tried.**_ It said back to me. I sighed, twisting my hands through my hair until it hurt.

"Urhaaaa!" I sounded out my frustration and quickly run to the door. Five minutes had passed since she left. I had no hope of catching her. All the same, I opened the door, looked from one side to the other. I left the door ajar and walked to the porch before descending down the little stairs. I run around the house but there was no car and nobody there.

I wanted cry. Throw a tantrum. Roll myself on the floor, anything that might help dispel. I returned to the stairs that led from the porch to the ground and sat down before burying my face in my hands.

"Well, don't you look dreary." I looked up and she was standing right in front of me.

"Serena?"

"In the flesh." She said before taking a seat by me.

"I thought you were gone." I said softly.

"I wanted to, but then realized you've been living a life that is not your own. I suppose you can say I am an instrument of destruction or a mother to all people who don't get to live for themselves. Since you were concern with your mother, I went to Rei's house and got permission from her. Here is her note." She said and pulled out a piece of paper from her purse.

"Of course I told her that you we were going over to our friend's house to do the project and we weren't sure whether we will be returning late or have a sleep over." She said as I read the note. It was in my mom's hand writing and her untraceable signature. It just pretty much said she was happy that I had met such a nice girl and that I should work hard on the project with her since she was very determined. Obviously, Serena had presented a whole act to make my mom think she was a decent human being. Decent human beings don't dress the way she does, with the exception of tonight, with the sole purpose of driving every man crazy.

"So, without your mother to hide behind, what's your next excuse for not wanting to go with me?" she asked. I turned and looked at her.

"I don't have the clothes for it." I said. It wasn't an excuse and I wanted to go now. But I really didn't have the clothes for it. I had only three really good suits; everything else was casual and blue jeans.

"I thought you might say that." She said and opened up her big bag again. She took out some clothes and shoes.

"Hope it's your size. It took me the whole day yesterday to decide on this one." She said.

"Is that why you had not come to school yesterday?" I asked.

"Ahh, you noticed. With all the avoidance, I didn't think you would care to look." She said as she pushed the clothes into my hands.

"I'm just trying to be careful." I replied.

"I hear you and that's alright. Gotta respect everyone's decision. Though I much prefer for you to tell me to keep my distance from you than you running off every time you see me as if I'm some monsters." She said and I knew she was right.

"You can never be a monster. You're too beautiful for it." Did that just come out of my mouth!? She was taken aback too because she paused. I immediately stood up and turned to go inside to change. She followed me.

"So, where is your room?" she asked.

"Down the hall to your right." I said, wondering what she wanted my room for.

"Ok, you change in another room or in the restroom while I freshen up in your room ok?" she said.

"Oh ok. But only the bedroom has a mirror if you need it." I told her. And my mom's room but I wasn't about to let no stranger, even if it is Serena, into my mother's bedroom.

"That's alright. I have a little hand mirror of my own." She said.

"Oh ok." We reached the end of the hall and she turned to enter my room as I entered the other room facing my room, it was the bathroom. I hanged the clothes on the rack, left the bathroom to my mom's room, grabbed her long mirror and brought it at the door of my room. I knocked on my door and she opened it.

"Here is a mirror." I told her. She smiled and opened the door wider for me. My room was nothing special, a desk here by the window, a chair with a lamp on it and one old fashioned dresser which was reaching the end of its days. And at the corner sat my neat bed. The walls were a sort of sick green color. Other than the roses in a jar that sat on my desk by the window, nothing in my room was radiant. And I suddenly felt shy that she, the most attractive, beautiful female I had ever met would enter a room like mine. Especially since she lived in such a beautiful mansion.

I sat the lamp by the foot of the bed.

"Darien?"

"Yes?" I said as I turned around. There was a flash and my jaw dropped. When she came, she had been decent. She wore this long shirt or short dress, body tight of course that reached her lower thighs. But her legs were encased in leggings that matched the outfit and she was wearing flat dressy shoes. But now, the leggings and shoes were off and all she had on was the short dress which was lifted up to her upper thighs.

And the flash that had gone off when I turned around was her camera. She was taking pictures even as I stood there trying not to stare at the exposed part of her thighs and her long legs.

"Why the pictures?" I asked to distract myself.

"No reason." She said. "But I need you to pose for me." I blinked.

"I have never posed for a picture." I told her and she sighed.

"Then do as I say. Smile." She said. I tried to be I was so nervous that my face felt funny.

"Move to stand by the window." She instructed. I did as she was told, standing here, doing this and that. Five or so minutes later, she called quits and said she was satisfied with the amount of pictures she had taken.

I was sitting on my bed and she came to sit beside me. She dropped the camera on the bed and sighed.

"That was fun wasn't it?" she asked. I nodded a little. It had been…well… entertaining. She stood up then and came to stand in front of me. The nervousness returned with a vengeance. I tried to move back a little, but she leaned and brought her face so close to mine I felt her warm breath.

"Relax Darien. Just relax." She said. Easier said than that. She placed her knee on the bed in between my open legs, cupped my cheeks and pressed her forehead against my head. My bangs were getting in the way for which I was glad. Her fingers made soft touches around my face and ears. I felt her breath near my right ear and I jerked.

"Shhh." She hushed me. I was scared and I knew it. Not scared of her, but I was afraid that I won't be able to fight her off if she wanted anything done tonight, scared that I didn't want to fight her.

"I promise you, nothing will ever happen between us that you are not comfortable about ok?" she whispered in my ear. I would have been ok, if her mouth was not touching my ears. I felt something wet touch it and I knew it was her tongue. I stiffened, the shock of it sending down sensations into the pit of my stomach. She left fluffy kissed down my cheeks to my mouth and there, she stared into my eyes. I guess she was trying to ask permission and I suppose I gave it, though how I don't know cause I definitely did not speak.

She kissed me.

My first kiss at age seventeen and oh man, was it exciting. She pressed her lips against mine, opened my mouth and pushed her tongue into it. It felt so good and I responded. I didn't know what to do with my hands so I set it on her waist and focused my attention to what she was doing with her tongue in my mouth. I did whatever she dead, repeated strokes here and soon it was no longer master and student. I lost it when she pushed me on the bed and the kiss became even more fevered. I wanted her so badly and she and I both knew it. It didn't matter anymore that she was using me to get her physical pleasure. She could use me all she wants, because all I knew then and cared for was getting her. I wanted her; I wanted to be inside her. I have had sexual urges, but this was the strongest urge I had ever had. My hands were all over her thighs, up and into her panties. I felt her vagina with my finger and she gasped. She was wet and moist. I made to poke my hands in her, to explore her but she didn't give me the chance to. She pushed away from me.

I gasped at the lost of contact with her, and my chest was rising and falling so hard and my heart beating so fast I could hear nothing else. I finally sat up when I was semi calmed and looked at her.

"I'm sorry. I hadn't meant for that to happen." I said. I really hadn't. But her body had been so soft, so smooth, God I could not control myself. She shook her head.

"It is not I that I'm concern with but you. You are not like me Darien; you cannot give yourself to anyone like I can. I don't want you doing something you are going to regret for the rest of your life." She said.

"No, but I want you. You're not just anyone." I said.

"You want me because I have aroused you. Once you are no longer aroused, you will feel differently." She said

"No!"

"Darien…"

"No! Serena I want you. I love you, can't you see?!" I said desperately. A look of horror crossed her face. "I want you Serena, only you." She was shaking her head in denial.

"This was a mistake. I have to go." She said, grabbed her purse and tried to leave. But I wasn't having it. She started it and she was going to finish it! As soon as she pulled the door open, I pushed it back closed and pressed myself against her as she had done to me earlier at the door.

"No."

"Darien please."

"No! You made me feel this way. And now you're just going to leave me like this?!"

"It's for your own good."

"The hell it is!" I don't know why I was feeling this way. I knew she was right, I knew that not being near her was the best thing for me but God I could not have that. I had never in my life wanted anything as badly as I wanted her. Not just to have sex, I wanted her. Her, to love me too. But obviously that wasn't going to happen.

"Darien, I cannot return your feelings." She said and tears fell. I stepped back and she turned around. We stared at each other, her looking miserable and I crying. First time I fall in love and look at the result.

"Please…" I begged. I knew I should be a man, I knew I should let it all go but I couldn't I didn't care that I was crying over a girl, I didn't care how bad it made me look, I just knew I loved her and wanted her.

"Darien…" she started.

"I don't care. I don't care if you use me. If you only have sex with me and nothing more. I don't care whatever it takes. Just please, don't leave me. I will do anything; I will be your errand boy, your sex toy, and your boy toy, whatever it takes. I will do it, but please don't say that you and I is a mistake." I begged. Am I stupid? Maybe so but I was not about to lose her totally.

She sighed, stretched out her hand and wiped away the tears on one cheek.

"Oh Darien, I am so sorry. You and I is a mistake." I closed my eyes in pain. "A mistake because you deserve someone who can love only you. You deserved to be loved, not used." She said.

"Then love me."

"I can't."

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because my life won't always be here and I cannot just be with one person." She said. I knew all that, and I was so glad she was being so honest about it but I felt that all that could be overcome.

"I don't care how many other men you hang with."

"I don't just hang with them Darien, I sleep with them. Can you take that? Me kissing them, having sex with them? Their hands all over me, their lips on my breasts. Can you handle all that?" she asked and as she said all the things she did with other men, I could not help but see it in my head. The images were painful but the pain was nowhere near the pain I knew was waiting to overflow if she walked out of my life.

"I can."

"Darien!"

"I can take it! All of it! Please! At least give me a try…" I pleaded. She search into my eyes, shook her head and sighed.

"Do not say I did not warn you." She said finally and a wide grin spread on my lips. I hugged her. I didn't know what I was getting myself into, but whatever it was, I felt I could take it down. When we parted, she leaned up and kissed me softly.

"We better get going or we are going to be late." She said. I nodded. She stood away from the door and I walked out.

_**Do you know what you've just done?!**_ My mind screeched.

SHUT UP!

And that was the end of conversation with my mind. I quickly went into the bathroom and put on the clothes she had given me. It fitted me perfectly. Black straight pants, black shirt and a black blazer. The shoes too were black. It seemed Serena really loved the color black. I tried to do something with my hair but all I managed to do was brush out all the knots. I would geta hair cut tomorrow.

Finally when there was nothing else to be done, I sighed and stepped out. I went to my door and knocked.

* * *

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	4. Chapter 4

**Eclipse**

**CHAPTER 4**

There was no answer. I knocked again and still no answer came.

Fear and a sort of taunting knowledge came to my mind. She couldn't have left could she? I pushed the door open, panic clearly written on my face and breathed out when I saw her on the bed with her eyes closed. She had changed into a black dress. It was a very lose fitting dress from her waist down and landed just right above her knee. From waist up, the dress hugged her figure, making her already huge breasts look even bigger. Her hair was loose around her and some framed her face. The moonlight was shinning on her and I had never seen such a beautiful person or thing in my life. Her face was so serene I just stood staring at her.

She opened her eyes and locked gazes with me. I just stood there, helpless against the power of her eyes. She rose to a sitting position and patted a spot next to her. Without question I moved to her side and sat down. She rose up and walked to her bag. She took out a black kit and opened it up as she came to stand in front of me. She set the kit on the bed and I saw all that was in it. Scissors, blades and all sorts of hair cutting materials.

"I can't exactly have my date looking like a caveman now can I?" She said. She took out the scissors and began cutting. My eyes were in perfect view of her breasts that it was all I stared at and fantasized about as she cut my hair.

"Finish." She said eventually. But before she could put her hands down, I grabbed her elbows and leaned forward until my lips touched the upper exposed part of her breasts. She tasted like chocolate though she smelled like vanilla. I ran my tongue over her smooth skin and I could have sworn I felt her shiver. She dropped whatever she was holding to wrap her hands in my hair. Then she ran her tongue at the side of my face until she reached my lips and we kissed. I had one of my hands at her neck and the other at her waist. I don't know how I did it but soon I had her under me on the bed. I pressed myself closer on her, feeling like it was not enough all the while kissing her in hunger.

My right hand moved over her body, cupped her breasts and massage. She threw her head back and her body lifted. I drag my tongue over her breasts again as my hands snaked down to her thighs and under her dress. She stopped me by gently touching my hand from going under her panties.

"I want this. I want to make love to you." I told.

"Shhhhh." She said as she touched my lips with her finger. "It is not yet time."

"When will it be time."

"When you are eighteen."

"But…"

"No buts. I don't do anyone who is younger than that." She said.

"I only have a month to go!" I protested.

"Then you can wait that long." She said and sat up. She kissed me gently before fully pulling herself away from me. I sighed. This month was going to be a long one.

"Ok now, stand up." She said. I stood up and she went around fixing the outfit. She opened the blazer I had closed, combed out my hair again and fussed until she thought I was perfect. The she got out a camera and snapped a couple of shots.

"Presenting the after, Darien shields." She said as she dragged me to the mirror. There was a huge change. My hair was gone, well not as in bold. I still had hair but it wasn't in my face or all over me as it used to be. The bangs was still there but shorter. My facial features stood out and dressed as I was, I looked just like the rich kids. Again.

"You are exceptionally handsome, why you hide it I don't know." She said.

"I used to be a model." I told her. Her eyes widened and she came to stand in front of me.

"Really?!"

"Yeah. When I quit, I was afraid that people would recognize me." I explained.

"So you grew out your hair…."

"To cover my eyes and features. And who will guess that this cave looking man is the model they knew before?" I finished for her. She was silent for a while and stared at me for a long time. Then her eyes brightened.

"Endymion." I smiled at her.

"Yeah, that was me. My full name is Darien Endymion Shields." I told her. She laughed heartily.

"Wow, the world is small." She said and I blinked.

"What do you mean?" I asked her.

"The time you quit modeling I presume, you were suppose to model with me for my grandmothers clothing line."

"What?!" I asked her, my eyes wide.

"Dreams of Moonlight. Remember?" she said and I did. I remember my manager telling me I was going to model for a clothing line named Dreams of Moonlight but I was tired of doing the nude pictures and shirtless pictures that I quit. If I hadn't…

"Do you know how insulted I felt when I was suddenly told, the day before the show that our male model quit on us? Especially since you were a few of the male models I actually drooled over." She said with a twinkle in her eyes.

"I feel like a fool."

"You should." She said, laughing. I sighed, what an opportunity I missed.

"Well let's get going before the club closes. It's ten already." She said and grabbed her purse. She walked around and picked up everything that was hers and pushed them back in her purse. I followed after her as she walked out of the room.

"What time are we coming back?" I asked her.

"Whenever we feel like it." She said.

"Then I should probably ask it this way, are we coming back at all?" I asked and she laughed.

"We'll see." She said instead. I turned around and went to my room. I grabbed a change of clothes, my pajamas and boxers, just in case. I returned to the kitchen where she stood curiously watching me and stuffed the things I had picked up into a plastic bag.

"What's with all of that?" she asked.

"Just in case." She blinked.

"You're weird."

"You're one to talk." I retorted at her. She placed her hands on her hip and looked at me weirdly.

"I'm not the one who confessed my undying love to a girl barely know and just meet a few days ago." She said.

"And I'm not the one who can't stick to one guy." I replied at her.

"Honey if I could, you and I wouldn't be hanging out right now." To that I had no reply. She was right. As much as it is a curse that she can't stay with one guy, it is also a blessing in disguise. It is what has led her to me. I walked to stand in front of her. For some reason I felt like an ass.

"I'm sorry." I apologized for my insensitive words. She leaned up and kissed me softly on the lips.

"You may yet change me." she said before turning around and walking out the door. I may change her? From what to what exactly? I shook my head and followed her out. In our drive way, her black convertible car stood.

"That is a beautiful car." I said and it was. Sleek and glossy.

"Thank you. A gift for my twentieth birthday." She said as she sat at the driver's seat and I walked around to the driver's side passenger seat.

"A gift? From who?" I asked. I was hoping it was one of her family and not some rich guy. The thought made me scowl inside.

"From me to myself." She said.

"You bought it?"

"Yeah. Every year since I was sixteen, I get a new car. But none of it has been the one I wanted even though they were all brand new most raved about cars. When I saw this one, I knew this was the car I wanted. So I bought it." She said.

"What happened to your other cars?" I asked.

"Locked up in my house."

"Your house?" I said. It was like nothing she was saying was registering.

"Yes my house. In the US. I have my own house. A gift from my grandfather before he died when I was seventeen." She said. I shook my head. Houses, cars, these were the kind of gifts she receives? Lord knows I couldn't afford either.

"Can't compete can you." She said with a giggle.

"I won't even try to." I said and she laughed. I hadn't even realized then that we were already down the road, that was how silent the car was.

"So, what club are we going to?" I asked her. She shrugged a bit.

"Nothing major. A friend of mine has this restaurant slash club house down town. Today is its anniversary so we're going there to celebrate." She said.

"Oh" After that it got real quiet. I didn't really know what to talk about.

"Your father, where is he?" she asked.

"Left." I answered shortly. Father was not a subject I like talking about.

"I see. How long have you known Amy?" she asked.

"Since the fifth grade. Though she went to a different high school than I. Some kids were bullying her and I sort of stood up for her. Which got me beaten but we've been friends since then." She giggled a little.

"You sound very fond of her." She said.

"I am. Amy is very shy and timed but she is exceptionally bright and loyal to her friends." I said proudly. Amy really was a one of a kind.

"You sound like you're in love with her." Serena commented. I looked at her but she was looking at the road.

"I am not! She's like a sister to me is all."

"You should be." She said, glanced at me briefly before turning back to the road.

"Be what?" I asked her. She came to a stop immediately at the red light. Then turned to me.

"You should be in love with Amy. She sounds like a good girl. One who can make you happy." She said and I noticed she was serious. I leaned down, cupped her face and kissed her.

"You make me happy." I said as I came up. Cars were honking behind us. I looked up and realized it was on the green light. She stepped on the pedal and the car sped off swiftly.

"I am serious when I say it is in your best interest to stay away from me." she said.

"If being with you is such a bad thing, then I will be bad." I told her and she laughed.

"You don't believe me?" I asked her, hurt.

"Let's see how far that confidence will carry you." She said.

"Serena, I want to be with you." She shook her head.

"I can believe that you have fallen in love with me. But to want to be with a person, you must first know them and you don't know me." she said.

"Ok then, tell me about yourself." I challenged. For a long while she did not say anything. We arrived at a very odd building surrounded by trees. I saw lights in every room of the building. It was a cottage. I realized as we drew closer. I saw moving bodies, people outside and music blasting. She parked just a little ways off then turned to me. She smiled.

"I don't tell people about myself, I show them." She said and took of her seat belt. "Stay in the car." She ordered. She got out, shut her door and I watched her as she walked around to my side of the door. She opened it and sat on my lap. She wrapped her arms around me before moving her right hand back to push the bags a little to the side.

"While we are here, my friends are going to interrogate you. Do not give them any information about what happened between us tonight. I love my friends but when they get in my business, I lose control and I get really upset. And for your own safety, do not show your feelings for me today and do not tell them that you love me. Some of the people I call friends will do anything to have you for themselves only because you love ME. Understand?"

"Then they are not your friends." I told her.

"They are in a sense. Now, just play along with me and we will escape later relatively intact ok?" she said and I nodded. "That's a good boy." She lead down and kissed me, I wrapped my arms around her and deepened the kiss, our lips dancing around each other. Eventually we came up for her and she stood up and stood away for me to get out. When I got out, she locked the car and took my hand.

"Now remember, you're the sexiest thing, apart from me of course, at this part so do not feel awkward ok. But keep in mind, they will use any trick they can to get you to fess things up. No matter how tempting the offers are, do not take them." She said and turned around to face. One of my hands was still in hers and the other she used to touch her breasts.

"Besides, what offer is sweeter than me?" she said as she tilted her head to the side, a very seductive smile on her lips. I smiled at her; this girl would drive me mad I just knew it.

"No offer." I said and kissed her.

"Awwwwwwwwwww." We heard a chorus from behind us. I felt Serena's lips turn up in a smile. When she drew back, she winced and turned to face our audience.

"Can't we get some privacy?" she said though there was a smile in her voice.

"Not at this club." A brown haired woman at the top. She had an apron on and I wondered what the hell was wrong with a person coming to a club with an apron? Then again, clubs do not happen in cottages. Serena led me to the foot of the stairs before letting go to hug the woman on the second stairs.

"You look absolutely fetching sweetheart." The woman said.

"Thank you Lita." Serena replied as she stepped. "And like always, you look like a cook."

"Hallelujah!" 'Lita' replied enthusiastically. Serena laughed and the sound was so happy it surprised me.

"So, who is this?" a different person asked. The voice was deep and it belonged to a face that could both be a man and a woman. Though the little softness around her lips and eyes told me she was a woman. She had short sandy blonde hair and was wearing white dress paints and creamy collared shirt. The shirt was big on her which explained why she wasn't showing that she had boobs. Beside her, another woman with beautiful almost aqua hair stood. Her hands were laced in the first girl's arm and she was staring at me with a very amused smile. She was beautiful and there was something that was so soft and famine and mature about her that made me think she didn't belong in a club.

"Everyone, I will like you to meet my date. Darien shields, these are my friends. But the only ones you have to bother remembering their names are Lita, Michelle and Amara." Serena introduced, pointing to the person she named. There was a chorus of indignant response to what she had said about forgetting everybody else except the three she had named, but she only smiled and stepped aside for me to shake their hands.

"So you are the new boy toy." The girl called Amara said.

"Unfortunately." I said with a fake tired sigh the same time Michelle said, "AMARA!" in a very disapproving tone. They both blinked at my answer and Lita giggled.

"Well, there is a first. What's the story with you?" Amara asked again.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"How did you get entangled with Serena?"

"I certainly do not know. We attend school together and we are partnered on a project but she isn't so serious. I cannot do it by myself since the project is suppose to reflect both of us, so now I'm trailing her in hopes of getting to know her and know what to do for the project." I said smoothly. I looked at Serena, shadowing my eyes low to seem as if I was giving her a disappointed look. She turned to me and smiled angelically. I rolled my eyes, all pretention of course.

"Oh. That's definitely a change." Michelle said.

"I haven't yet screwed him but he is next on my list I promise you." Serena said as she began to walk up the last stairs. I followed her.

"That's never going to happen." I said through clench teeth as if I really disapproved of the idea. If only they knew.

"Whoa. This dog does bark." Amara said.

"Only because he doesn't know he is in danger." Serena said and they burst into laughter. This time I was not amused.

Now there was a surprise I couldn't have guessed. Where the hall way ended and and opened in a wide arch to accommodate the living room was a kind of doom that took me by surprise. From where we stood, we looked down like two stories down and that was where the club actually was. There were several stairway that led to the ground level where lights were fkashing, music play and people dancing.

"Wow" I said. This was a very unique club indeed, nestled in the heart of a cottage.

"Like?" Serena asked as she stood by me. There was metallic fence all around the dome so you can grab a hold of it in other to prevent you from falling.

"It's amazing!" I said with wide eyes.

"It was actually Serena's idea." Lita said from my left. I turned to look at her with a raised brow.

"For as long as I can remember I have always wanted to open a restaurant where families can go eat, chill and feel at home. But Serena said to add the club. I couldn't see it, a homely restaurant with a club. She designed an outline of how it could be possible, drew the cottage and everything. It took us a while to warm up to the idea, but once it was built and opened, I realized it was the best decision I had ever made, thanks to Serena of course. The restaurant is opened in the day time while the club is at night. But I still cook at night for those late night eaters. Or for anyone with reservation." Lita explained and I turned my attention on Serena who was watching the dancers with dancing eyes. She noticed my staring and she turned to look at me and smiled.

"Seems you are an artist, or a designer." I said

"A little of both actually. I do draw and I often design outfits for grandmothers clothing line." She explained. This was surprising to me really. I realized then that all I could see her as was the party crazy, seductive, sexy woman in front of me. I really didn't know her at all.

"Well if you are going to stay up here and talk, I'm going down to get my freak on!" She said and run to the adjacent fence. She pushed it and I realized it was a door because it opened. There was a stair case from there to the ground. I watched her as she descended down it. I trailed her with my eyes as she maneuvered through the thick piles of bodies to almost at the front where a band was playing. I saw her starting to dance though from where I stood, it was hard to see. Especially since the blue flash lights obscured her features.

"Is she always like this?" I asked Lita as I turned to find a certain knowing look in her eyes. She looked from to Serena and back at me again.

"Yeah. This is Serena but she is a sweet heart and very hard working." Lita said. I really couldn't picture a hard working Serena. The image was too serious, a side of her I had yet to see.

"I really don't think I can keep up with her." I confessed. Lita patted me on the shoulder.

"I have to go but listen to me." she said and I turned to face her. "Go at your own pace and if you are anything like I hope you are, she will learn to slow down and match your pace. I will see you later." She said and turned away. I watched the brunette disappeared in a crowd before turning my attention back to the dancers on the floor. But I couldn't see Serena. I looked at where I had last seen her but she wasn't there. I hoped my vision was the problem. I ran to where she had descended the stairs and walked down on it in a hurry. I pushed my way through the crowds, searching wildly for her but I couldn't see her. I got to where she had been standing but there was no trace of her.

"Hey handsome." A girl said from behind me. I turned around to face a brown haired girl whose eyes traveled down my body as if I was naked.

"Come dance with me." she said in a drawl and wrapped her hands around my neck. She was moving us before I knew what was happening.

"No no no. I'm looking for someone." I said as I tried to move her hands from my neck. She brought her body closer to mine, her boddy pressed to my thighs as her back was to me.

"Who you looking for?" she asked, bumping backwards into me.

"Serena." I said. She stopped short and turned around to face me.

"Why are you looking for Serena?" she asked. Her eyes were guarded.

"I'm her date." The music suddenly picked up so loud that I had to repeat the message by screaming. She stared at me for a long time before a smile curved on her lips. She took my hand and began to lead me out of the crowd of dancers. We soon reach a staircase and we climbed up.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Didn't you say you want to see Serena?" she answered. I nodded and followed her. She was pulling so hard I almost stumbelled. Finally out of the crowds and in a less noisier part of the building, we came upon three doors. She dragged me to the far right to the door that was there. She opened it and it was like a small closet. She turned a switch and light came on. There was a whole on the closet floor and there was another staircase. We descended down it. Behind the staircase you could see the entire dance floor. There was a long glass wall separating the club room from where we were standing. I thought it was a soundproof wall of glass because no sound from the club managed to penetrate the walls to be heard on our half. Even though the band was right next to the wall.

I took noticed all in seconds as she was still pulling. We were walking down a hallway and on each side of it were doors with letters on them. At the last two doors facing each other, we turned to the door on the right. There was the Letter S on it and it was the only door painted in pink with white fake roses decorating it.

"Hiiiiiiiiii!" the girl said a she burst in and I right behind her. Lying on the bed was Serena and beside her was a man with brown hair.

"Oh opps…didn't know you were busy. Romeo was worried about you so I brought him to see you." The girl said.

"Both of you, get out!" The man screamed.

"Calm down Alan. Ann, thank you for your consideration. Darien, return to the club, I will be with you shortly. Ann, keep him entertained for me will you dear?" Serena said.

"Sure!" the girl replied, took my hand and dragged me out.

"Who was that?" the man asked.

"A boy starting to become a man." I heard Serena say before the door closed and the girl kept pulling my hand. I was in a sort of shock I think. I had known, I had known that other men would be involved, and I thought I could take it. I pulled my hand out of the girl's grip when we got to the stairway. The girl looked down and sighed.

"If you are going to be around Serena, you're going to have to get used to seeing her with a different guy every day." The girl whose name was Ann said.

"Who…" I swallowed. "Who was the guy?" I managed out.

"My boyfriend."

"What?!" I asked her, my eyes wide. She gave me a tiny sad smile.

"Alan, my boyfriend."

"If he is your boyfriend why is he with her?" I asked.

"He's been crazy about her since he first met her. He wanted to break up with me but I've been going out with him since fifth grade. He is the only man I have ever loved. So to keep him, I had to make some sacrifices, one of which is allowing him to sex Serena." Ann said. She looked away and my heart went out to her. Her voice was filled with so much emotion it sounded as if she was holding tears at bay.

"So I let him do what he wants and he told me I could see other guys too if I wanted. I had never done se." she told me.

"You should, it will teach him a lesson."

"Maybe so, but it has to be with a guy that would give him pause. And so far no guy fits the modelistic picture I'm searching for." She said as she began to climb up the stairs. I followed her.

We walked back to join the crowd but before she descended down the stairs, she turned back to me.

"Ann McKenzie. Please to meet you." She said as she stretched out a hand to me."

"Darien Shields. The pleasure is all mine." I answered as I shook her hand.

"So what now?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" I asked her, confused.

"What are you going to do now?"

"" I deliberated. "Well since my date is presently occupied, I will just go outside for fresh air."

"That's no good." She said.

"Huh?"

"If you are by yourself, you won't be able to stop thinking about them. Believe me, I know. Tell you what, why don't you come downstairs and dance with me. Innocently of course but it's better than going outside and going mad with thoughts of which you cannot stop." She said. I was ready to decline her offer but she had this sincere look on her face that I really didn't see the harm in it. Besides, she was right. Being by myself would not help me at all.

"Alright." I said and she smiled. I followed her down the stairs back into the moving bodies of dancers on the dance floor. We began to dance. At first it was a little uncomfortable with her dancing close to me but I got used to it, especially when other girls joined me and Ann.

"Who is this Ann." One girl asked.

"Serena's new beau." Ann answered. There was a chorus of oh and suddenly I found them all clinging to me, their breasts and buts were all over me. That's when it got really uncomfortable.

"So handsome, how long have Serena been screwing you?" One girl asked. I pulled Ann close to me.

"Can you get rid of them please?" I whispered in her ear. She looked up at me and smile.

"Ok girls, the man definitely want his space." Ann said.

"Oh but we're just getting started." another female said.

"Not if you want to return home with all your body parts intact." Ann responded. There was acid in her voice.

"Hmph! Selfish bitch." The girl said but she danced away and the others followed her. I breathed in a sigh of relief and released my grip on her waist.

"Thank you." I said gratefully.

"You're welcome." She said as the song we were dancing to came to an end. There was a loud applause and some man went to the microphone to talk. I was getting too hot in there. I looked around, I guess I was trying to see if Serena was out of the room yet but all I saw were strangers, people making out in the corner, people grinding on the dance floor even with the music off and others actually having sex. On a table far to my left, a girl was lying on a table totally naked. Sitting with is dick in her was a big blonde haired man. Another man stood by the side of her head, also totally naked, with his dick in her mouth. I shuddered with repulsion and turned back to Ann.

"Grossed you out?" Ann asked with a laugh.

"Are they not embarrassed?" I asked.

"The girls who do that get money you know." Ann answered.

"That's just prostitution." I said with indignation. She just shrugged and turned her attention back to the man who was getting the crowd wild. Didn't she find something wrong with it?

"Give it up for our most beautiful goddess, Serena!" my attention was caught by the man. I watched as a crowd parted and Serena appeared at the front of the crowd. She rose her hand up and shook it in greeting and a loud cheer filled the room. I had to cover my ears. The noise was so loud. She took the mic from the man and placed a finger on her lips. The whole room went absolutely still and silent. I looked around briefly and all actions were stopped, even the people on the table having sex paused to look at her. I finally removed my hands from my ears.

"Being that today is the one year anniversary of this great and amazing club, we have a special show for you this evening." She said and another cheer filled the room. Once again I found myself blocking my ears though that did little good. I watched her stand there, then after a minute she calmed down the wild crowd again.

"Everybody, back up a bit." She said and the crowd immediately backed up." I watched as Lita and Michelle joined her on stage. Serena handed the mic to Lita.

"Ok everyone, you know I'm no good with words. But I promise you that tonight's show will forever stay in your memory!" Lita said and there was another cheer.

"And without further ado, I proudly present to you tonight's most awaited show!" Michelle said and drums sounded. Lita and Michelle left Serena on the dance floor and fourteen shirtless me joined Serena on the dance floor. Seven stood sever inches in front to her left as the other seven stood to her right. She turned her back on us and walked up the stairs to where the band was standing. Then the drums sounded again and it came to an abrupt end. A soft melodious music came on and a beautiful voice filled the room. She back was still to us but she was moving, her hands were flowing like waves and with the spot light on her, I could see her clearly. She turned around and I realized that she was the one singing! I was shocked! So shocked in fact that my jaw dropped.

She walked down the stairs she had climbed, gracefully moving her hips as she was singing. I didn't recognize the song at first but it registered soon afterwards. Paula Deanda's song: Walk Away. But Serena's voice was so different from the singer; there was this sensation in Serena's version that was so addicting. When she reached the center of the boys, the music picked up and swiftly changed into Raven Symone's song: Supernatural.

The spot light widened to cover the guys who I realized that all had really nice toned bodies. They began to dance the same dance she was doing. There is absolutely no way could describe it. It was sexy, it was sensational and the crowd went wild. The song changed from Supernatural to Check on It by Beyonce, umbrella by Rihanna and other songs by other artist but they all fit together so perfectly you would think it had been made like that. And with each new song her voice would change a little and her dance movements would get more daring. Then out of nowhere, the dress she was wearing dropped and she stood only in her underwear and bra. She smiled and winked as the audience thundered in applauses and soon the men's pants went off to show them dancing in boxes. People began going up to them to dance with them and I realized they were throwing money on them.

Lita would come in and pick up the money or Michelle would. While the guys entertained the women, most of the guys were also going up to Serena. She would dance with this guy then this guy, then another and all the while I just stood there, staring, transfixed, unable to move.

The next thing I noticed was that the crowd backed up with the dancing men back flipping. Lita and Michelle came behind Serena and placed a white flowy blanket on the floor. I watched as the guys got rid of their boxes and became absolutely naked. I had to turn away then but there was no way to look at Serena without noticing the guys too. She went through dancing with each of the fourteen men, her hands all over them and theirs on her. She would grab their dick, massage it a little and bent down and put it in her mouth, or at least she made it look like she was putting it in her mouth though she wasn't. I noticed that on the third guy. And after she had touched a guy, she would push the guy forward and the closest girls would run to him and they would be licking him for real. All the while hundreds of money were thrown at them and Michelle and Lita would show up out of nowhere to collect them.

The last guy spun her around and she stood up on her toes and kissed him. Then pushed him to the crowd. She danced back to the center, dance with a couple of guys, one that was Alan and the nude men returned to her side. They circled her and the blanket on the floor was lifted up and around her to block our view. When the circle opened up again, the blanket was spread all over the floor but in it center sat Serena. The blanket half covered her but her breasts were bare. I hadn't thought it was possible for the crowd to go even wilder and for the noise level to rise anymore. But it did. This time I did not block my ears. In truth I didn't really hear anything; all I could see was Serena with her shiny, big and perfect breasts.

Then as if that wasn't enough, she lay down on it and with the drums rolling; she rolled down the blanketed floor, absolutely naked and stopped at the very ends of the blanket and winked. The men rushed to her and lifted her in their hands. Her butt was sitting in two pairs of hands, she held two hands, one on each side and the remainder of the guys either held her long legs or supported her back from behind. Even still she was dancing, exotically, she would lean her body back and her head would swerve backwards and up, her breasts would bounce and the look on her face was almost drunk, in a very tempting way. Then the guys walked backwards really fast. Two guys, one on each side grabbed a blanket and tossed and turned it around the guys and Serena standing until the blanket totally covered them and the two guys joined in. a second or two later, the blankets shifted and rotated, blowing as if there was wind and it was tossed up. Standing there was Serena with one hand raised and the other on her hips. She was clothed in her black dress again and there was a big smile on her face. The guys also had their pants back on and they were lying on the floor with their hands stretched to her.

The crowd exploded and all I could do was just stand there, stare with my jaw on the floor. I had never in all my days seen something so beautiful yet so disturbing in all my life. I don't know how long I stood there. After the performance, Serena said some words, the crowd cheered but I could not for the life of me hear what she said or the noise that exploded afterwards. Serena left the stage with the men but still I stood there until Ann rushed back to where I was standing.

"Wake up!" she said as she waved her hand in front of me. I shook my head and tried to adjust to what had happened. She saw my wide eyes and laughed.

"Wasn't that fun!? They really out did themselves this time!" she said and I only stared at her.

"Most nights Serena performs a dance or a song. This is the first time her dance routine has included her being utterly nude. Normally she would have some lingerie or see through cover on. But the guys always go nude!" She said, laughing. Eventually the normal club music began and people started to dance again. Ann placed her hand around my neck and we began to dance, I was doing so unconsciously.

"Tell me, what do you really know about Serena?" Ann asked. I shook my head and sighed.

"Utterly nothing." I said with a defeated sigh. I knew nothing. I loved her performance but I was angry. How could she herself to other guys? How could she let other guys touch her like they had? How how how how…yet she had warned me.

"My advice to you is to get use to it quickly and have as much fun of your own." Ann said and leaned up. I felt her breath on my lips as she made to kiss me. I knew I should have refused her but it was as if all the fighting spirit in me was gone. Someone tapped me from behind and I turned my head in time to avoid Ann's kiss. It was Serena.

"May I cut in?" She said. I wanted to say no, but I turned to her so quickly that Ann almost fell.

"Geez, see if I will ever keep you company again." She said in a whine. Alan appeared by Serena, kissed her on the cheek and walked to Ann even as he glared at me.

"Have fun you two." Serena said as she waved them on before turning to face me. She smiled.

"Enjoyed the show?" she asked and all I could do was nod. She giggled.

"You look like a deer caught in a headlight." She said. I shook my head, trying to clear the images of her naked body from my head. She took my hand and began dragging me out of the crowd. When we were at the edge of the crowd, she led me to a corner and kissed me. I forgot everything else. My hands were hungry to hold every part of her. I pressed her against the wall, my mouth devouring hers. My hands went through her dress, massaged her breasts. She gasped, her hands tightened around me but nothing was enough. I pushed my hand into her panties and not wanting to give her time to stop me, I pushed one finger into her.

"Auhh." She gasped her body lifted up and her head shifted to the side. I kept poking my finger into her while kissing her senseless. My other hand massaged her breasts but let go to open the zipper of my pants. I pushed her panties down and brought my dick to her moist opening, letting it taste a little of what laid ahead. I was about to push into her but shifted her hips.

"No." she gasped desperately and grabbed my dick. She massaged it hard, rubbing up and down and I wanted to scream at all the wonderful sensations that were flowing through me. I don't know how long we went at it but I felt myself cum but she continued to massage it. We might have been there an hour or more, all I knew was that by the time she stopped, I was spent and slid to the floor. She was tired too because she slid to the floor with me breathing in and out deeply. I was lying on the floor breathing heavily and watching her while she sat with her back against the wall. Her face was directed upwards with her eyes closed and for a while we stayed in that position.

I was drifting off when I felt her hand on my cheek. I opened my eyes to see her bent over me. She leaned forward and kissed my forehead.

"Let's get you home." She said softly.

"But…I want to spend the night with you." I told her. She shook her head.

"You will go home tonight." She said.

"But…"

"Darien." Her voice was sharp so I stopped and sighed. She kissed me gently on the lips before standing up.

"Come now." She said as she lent me her hand to use to stand up. I sighed, delayed a little on the floor and finally took her offered hand. She turned to walk and I followed her. When we reappeared at the dance floor from our little corner, it was as if nothing had changed. The dancers were still dancing hard, the music still blazing though for some reason I had totally not heard while engaged in my affairs with Serena. I held her wais and pulled her back to me.

"Dance with me." I breathed in her ears. She sighed and turned to face me.

"Only one dance." She said. I nodded. Even though the music was fast pace, I just held her with her back pressing against my chest and with my hands fondly her breasts. We swayed gently to the music. Occasionally I would kiss her neck and take pleasure in her deep release of breath.

The music eventually came to an end and we climbed back the stairs.

"Aren't you going to say bye to your friends?" I asked her. She shook her head and walked down the hallway that led back to the door.

"I always leave right after my performance so they know I'm already gone. Well I should have been anyways." She said as we reached the door and she opened it. The fresh air immediately cooled my burning body. I was so glad to see the open sky, especially after that stuffy atmosphere.

"How long does the club stay open to?" I asked.

"Five in the morning."

"Wow. What time is it now?" I asked.

"Not sure." There were some people hanging outside that waved and said bye to Serena as we walked to the car. We sat and she started the car. She leaned against the seat and sighed deeply.

"What's wrong?" I asked her. Her eyes opened and she smiled tiredly at me.

"I feel worn out more today than any other day even when I stay up to five in the morning and it's only two." She said. I looked at the time and it was two thirty.

"Oh." What else could I have said? She put the car in reverse and began to drive. For a while none of us said anything. I was too busy remembering how it had felt to have her hands on me, all around my dick. The feeling is nothing I have ever felt before though my dick has been held before during my modeling time. Whenever I and a female model were to pose nude, they found my dick to be a good resting place to put their hands. The reminder made me roll my eyes.

"Did you have fun?" she asked. I was about to say yes but paused. I really didn't know, I enjoyed her taking me to the club, I enjoyed my time with her but the in betweens I didn't yet know how I feel.

"I will know by tomorrow." I answered instead. She laughed.

"Today was not as busy as I was hoping it would get." I looked at her with wide eyes.

"There were over a thousand people in that club!" I told her.

"Normally we get like two thousand to three thousand. It would be so pack that you can't get anywhere. People just like to show up there for the food and the fun but mostly for the relaxed atmosphere. Even if they don't go inside, they enjoy staying outside where we will have another set of DJ entertaining those who came late and couldn't fit into the cottage.

"Wow." I said. "Well then I'm glad there wasn't that many people. I was suffocating as it was." She turned briefly to me and smiled. Then she turned on a soft song for the rest of the drive home. I must have been nodding off again because next I knew the side of my door was opened.

"We're at your house sleeping beauty." She said. I blinked and noted that she was right. I stretched, looked up at her with a smile and opened my arms. She giggled and sat in between my legs with her own legs hanging over one of mine. She stretched her neck and opened mouth kissed me. I held her as close to me as was allowed within that space and returned her kiss. Eventually we both came up for her. She ran her fingers down the side of my face and kissed my nose.

"For all it's worth, I really want to make love to you too." She said and it was worth a lot. Our foreheads where pressed together as her hands run through my hair. I stared into her eyes.

"I will pray for this month to hurry along." I said and she smiled.

"Who knows, I might not wait that long." She said and kissed me again. My tongue delved deep into her mouth. I wish she would not wait that long. This time when we came up for air, she pulled away and stood up and out of the car. I got out too and closed the car door. We stood their staring at each other. I leaned against the car and pulled her against me. Her head rested on my chest and I held her gently. I was so happy I prayed that we could stay like that forever.

"Reach into my breasts." She whispered. I did as she said and groped around until I touched a paper? I pulled it out and I realized that it was a card with her name, address and number on.

"Don't ever call the house number." She said as she stepped. I nodded and slid the card in my pocket.

"Can I see you again tomorrow?" I asked.

"We'll see."

"Please." I said. She leaned up and kissed me softly.

"We will see." She repeated again and smiled. Then she walked back to the drivers side and got in, I stood to the side and watch her start the car. She rolled down the window at the passenger side.

"Don't call before twelve ok?" she said.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because I will be asleep. Night Darien." She said, reversed onto the road, waved and in a flash she was gone. I stood there staring after her even after she was long gone, then sighed and turned around.

Tonight has definitely been an experience.

* * *

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	5. Chapter 5

**Eclipse**

**Chapter 5**

There was no way I could have called Serena before Twelve. I was asleep until 11:30! I wondered at it, I had never in my life slept past 9! Even when I sleep as late as five am, 9 was always my time limit to be awake. Not that any alarm clock or any person woke me up, I normally am always up by then. Yesterday really wore me out. After rising, I went to the kitchen where a found a note from mother.

_Your friend, the girl from yesterday, called and said to be ready by twelve. She said you guys would go out to get the materials needed for your project. I told her I want you home no later than midnight. She is very respectful and a hard worker I see. Well, have fun today and there are pancakes in the fridge. I washed those silk clothes you were wearing yesterday for you, which reminds me, where did you get it from? They are on my bed just in case you're looking for them. Anyway, take care and I will see you later tonight. Bye hon._

_Love, _

_Mom._

The letter read. I had to reread it like two times for it to make sense. She was coming here by twelve?! But she said she wouldn't be up. I immediately dropped the letter and rushed to the bathroom to shower. I finished showering and rushed to the room to put clothes on. I debated putting on the clothes from last night but decided against it. I put on loose black pants which at one point had been fancy but now looked like a hand me down and a white dress shirt. I left the two buttons from the neck down open. I combed my hair out, trying to make myself look perfect. I was done and ready by twelve on the dot.

The door bell rang.

I rushed to it as if my life depended on it and yanked the door open with a big smile.

"Hi." Amy said from the other side. I could not control my facial expression. It just dropped. She blinked.

"Were you expecting someone else?" she asked. I sighed and nodded. I wanted to say no, I felt like not sharing anything about me and Serena but this was Amy, I couldn't hide things from her.

"Sort off." I answered as I opened the door wide enough for her to enter.

"Who?" she asked as she turned to me.

"Serena." I answered. Her eyes opened largely. "Don't jump to conclusion. She said this was the only time she will have to work on the project."

"Oh. So how is the project going." She asked as she took a seat. I saw mom's letter by her feet and I picked it up, trying not to be very conscious of it. If she read it, though it would support my lie that she was only coming to see me for the project, it would also give away that she had been here yesterday. I didn't want Amy's third degree. Trust me, it's scary. I always tell her that she should be a lawyer, the way she is so thorough in questioning and everything else.

"I'm not even sure what she wants to do. Mom made some pancakes, want any?" I asked as I opened the fridge.

"Sure. My stomach has been dancing all day that I couldn't eat." She said. I turned to face her and saw this dreamy, happy look on her face.

"I can only guess that you have a date with Troy." I said. She looked at me and blushed madly. I sighed and shook my head. She and I were far too deep to just come out.

"It's not a date. We're just going to the library."

"Whatever you say." I said as I placed the pancakes in the microwave to heat it up. "So what are the both of you doing?" I asked.

"We're debating on creating a pyramid out of clay and engraving on it things about us, or building a book shelf out of clay and making a copy of all our favorite books in clay and filling the book shelve with them."

"Wow, that's intense." I said. It was such a great idea that for a minute I was envious.

"Thanks. You wouldn't see it by just looking at him but Troy really loves to read. Yesterday…" she stopped and I raised my brow at her.

"What happened yesterday?" If Amy was near a red tomato, you would be able to tell which the tomato is and which is her. I had never seen her blush so furiously red before and it was cute. She started to fidget so I left my place by the microwave to pull a chair in front of her. I sat and crossed my hands over my chest.

"Come on Amy, this is me. You can tell me anything you know that." She nodded but didn't say anything. The microwave beeped to alert me that the pancakes were ready. I stood up again, took out the pancakes and syrup and sat it in front of the both of us with two eating knives and forks.

"Here you go." I said as she was still looking down at her fidgeting fingers while I was handing over to her the silverware. She looked up, took it and went back to looking at her fingers.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to but hurry up and eat the pancake. It's gonna go cold and I am not about to warm it up again." I said as I began cutting a piece of it.

"He read to me." she said as soon as I stuck in my mouth the piece I had cut.

"What?" I asked after I had swallowed. She looked up with bright eyes.

"He read some of his favorite poems to me by the fire in his room." She said, dodging her head again.

"That's nice." I said. I really didn't see what the big deal was. I know Amy is a bookworm and she enjoys things like poetry and what not but I still didn't get the significance of him reading to her stuff I was sure she had already read. She shook her head.

"No, I mean he read to me. Well let me start over. After he picked me up, we went to the library and researched a little. But then he had he wanted to go to the park. I thought he meant the usual park but instead he took me to the other side of town where that fancy park is it. He had food prepared and everything so we had lunch. Then after we went to the amusement park and spent the rest of the day there. Around seven, we returned to his house. God that house is beautiful inside and out." she said, a dazed look coating her eyes. I knew that house was beautiful but I had only seen the outside. Now she made me curious to see the inside but I didn't say anything about haven seen it before. I ate as she daydreamed then snapped out of it, cut a piece of the pancake and stuck it in her mouth before continuing.

"He introduced me to his family. I was so nervous even though I had met his sisters at school. There was a sort of tension when he introduced me; everyone kept looking at me as if trying to find the punch line." Her face dropped then and I could only imagine how terrible it must have been. I knew the punch line they were looking for, financial status. Whether she was a somebody or a nobody.

"He left me with his family to go shower and while he was away, they kept asking questions about me, my family, my school, my ambitions and everything. There were some questions I wanted to lie about but his mother's penetrating gaze would not allow me to avoid it or lie. When I felt I really was sinking in mud water, Serena showed up and told them to leave me alone. Then she took my hand and dragged me to her room." Here she smiled shyly and I knew Serena had just won another person in her favor.

"Her room was like a queen's room. It was gold and silver with crimson here and there. I had never seen a room so beautifully decorated before, not even in magazines. She had their house maid bring me some tea and fruits and talked to me until Troy was done."

"What did she talk to you about?" I interrupted.

"She was just pretty much telling me not to take to heart how rude the family had acted and that their mother was very protective of Troy. Then she told me if I ever needed anything or just wanted to hang out I should call her. She was very cool and funny." Amy said, smiling. I was sort of hoping Serena had asked her about me. While I wanted to ask it, I was sure that would give away my feelings for Serena and for some reason I was not ready to share it.

"Well after Troy came in to her room to get me, she chewed him out about living me in the lion's den. He apologized and said he hadn't realized that his family would interrogate me like that. Anyway, he then took me to his room, had the fire place in his room going and had a very think blanket on the floor by the fire." She blushed red again; I hoped she wasn't going to tell me she had sex with him. Though I had no right to disapprove, I just never thought she would have sex before me. But I realized then that Amy really was older than me. She was 20 like Serena!

"Well he sat with his back leaned against a couch and he had me sit with my back and head on his chest. He wrapped a hand around me and asked if I wanted to hear some of his favorite poems. I nodded; it was as if I couldn't speak. My face I am sure was all red. But when he began to read, I felt calm and his voice was so soothing. Afterwards I wanted to read to him, so he sat with his head on my lap as I read some of the poems or recited some that I had memorized. And that was how we were until he came to drop me home. When he did, he…"

"He kissed you." She looked up at me with wide eyes.

"How did you…"

"It just sounds like yesterday was a date of some sort."

"No! He never said it was!" Amy said stubbornly. Amy maybe very innocent in matters of love, but I knew she wasn't stupid to believe that yesterday hadn't just changed their status as friends or partners into something more.

"Ok…I take it back." She looked at me and sighed.

"I feel that it is a date and I want him to think it was a date but I can't have my hopes up. This might mean nothing to him at all." Thinking about Serena and her behavior, I could not help but agree with her. Just like how Serena took sex as a normal thing to be done with anyone like a football game, this could be Troy's normal way with girls.

"But," she said looking up at me, "I sure did have fun and yes, he kissed me but only on the cheek. Then he said goodnight, made sure I was in the house before he left. What a gentleman." She sighed.

"I'm glad you think so." Our heads whipped to the door and found Serena and Troy standing there. Serena had this large smile on her face while Troy's face was all soft as he stared at Amy. I wasn't stupid either. Amy wasn't the only one in love and if I was wrong, then Troy is a really good actor.

He walked past Serena to stand in front of Amy who was looking down at her hands blushing madly. He went on one knee, took her face in his hand, leaned up and kissed her fully on the mouth. I could tell that Amy was shocked, her eyes were opened wide. The kiss lingered only for a moment and he pulled away to smile at her.

"I'm sorry for the trouble my family gave you yesterday." He said as he was standing up. He lifted Amy's hands so she followed suit in standing up with him. She was about to say something but he hushed her with his finger on her lips.

"I promise they will not act like that again. And I am sorry I haven't made myself clear to you. I am a person of do than say. But sometimes I forget just how important some words are meant to be said. I am attracted to you Amy. Normally it's really hard for me to figure girls out, they either want me for my money, looks or status but haven known you all of a week, I know that's not what you are after. At least I hope not." She shook her head fervently. He chuckled.

"Good, then as of this moment, may I have the honor of having you become my girlfriend?" he asked. She stared at him with large eyes, shook her head a little and stepped back.

"You deserve so much better." She said.

"Say that again and I will knock some sense into you!" Both Serena and I said at the same time. We looked at each other; Amy looked at us, blinked and giggled a little. Then she sobered up.

"What about Rei?" she asked.

"What about her?" Troy asked in confusion. Serena sighed and I raised one brow. Was he really serious or did he not see the problem this could create for Amy?

"Don't worry about Rei, I've taken care of her. Besides, that loud mouth temper throwing baby cannot fit in my family even if she had all the money in the world." Serena said. She finally waltzed in from the door where she had been standing this whole time.

"But…" Amy tried again.

"If you're going to be scared of every little challenge that comes your way, then I'm afraid to say that you don't deserve my brother." Serena said.

"Serenity…" Troy said warningly.

"Look, you know I can't stand people who put themselves down so I'm not going to pretend. Listen to me Amy, in this world, if you don't fight for what you want, you will always only get what someone determines you deserve and in most cases, that isn't enough. If it was, we wouldn't have so many working people. What I'm trying to tell you is that it isn't only Rei you're going to have to be strong against; there is also my family and a lot more people who will see you unfit to be with my brother. It's all going to hit you eventually, but you have to prove to all those people that you are his equal and as deserving of him as he is of you. He is very dense and doesn't even know when a girl is crushing on him. Take Rei for an example, she has loved him since we were kids."

"Really?" Troy interrupted Serena and she rolled her eyes.

"See what I mean? He might hang out with people, they will flirt with him yet he won't know they are flirting with him. When this happen, don't take offense. He is just really dense when it comes to stuff like that. And sometimes he might not notice things you expect him to notice, that too I am warning you ahead of time. He has never really been in any relationship of his choosing, this is the first time he has seriously liked a girl. I was starting to think he was gay or something. Yesterday he even asked me if there was a tiny hope that you might like him."

"Serena!" Troy said, embarrassed. I hid a smile and he turned his head away from Amy, trying to hide his embarrassment.

"Like I said, he doesn't notice things unless you spell it out for him. But just remember that you can always come to me to talk if things get too hard to handle on your own. And don't fear telling him threats others will make to you and believe me, they will. They will go so far as to threaten your livelihood, your mother and your family. I'm telling you now; don't buy into any of the threats. Come tell me or him immediately, no one would dare have our anger turn on them. Now that you are part of his life, you are part of our family. It will take a while for the rest of the family to get use to you, understand that. They expect him, especially mother, expects him to choose a lady of noble class and all. This is the first time in his pathetic life he will be disobeying our mother, so you have to make it worth it alright? Even if mother is to threaten you and your family, come tell me. I can protect you, even against my own family because I'm a rebel like that. But I ask one big favor…" she said, looking seriously at Amy. Amy nodded and Serena smiled, there was this sadness to the smile that made me wonder.

"Make him happy. No, make him live. He has been existing all this while; he has never really lived, not for himself. Give him life; don't be afraid to make your demands. Don't be afraid to tell him what's on your mind and heart. And if you feel all this is too much, back out and walk out, nobody will blame you. And I will assure you this, now that he has come to love you, he will love you for the rest of your life if you let him. Likewise, love him in return. The road ahead of you two is definitely not a smooth one, but at its end lies a life of happiness you will regret missing if you ran away." We all just sort of stared at her. This, I knew she meant every word she had said. Was there such a deep side to her that I had missed? Even Troy was shocked as he stared at her. There was this look of wonder and something more that I could not identify in his eyes. If she could speak of love like this, why can't she live it? I looked at her then back at Troy and it suddenly dawned on me. It wasn't that she can't live it, she chose not to, but why was what I needed to figure out.

"Ok." Amy said softly and all our attention turned back to her. She looked at Troy shyly and stretched out her hand to him.

"I will be honored if you will have me as your girlfriend." Troy blinked and a very happy smile graced his face. He took her offered hand and pulled him to his chest. Then he surprised all of us by picking her up and swinging her around. Amy giggled happily and he chuckled. I felt this happiness in me for her, but at the same time I was envious and jealous. I looked at Serena and she was smiling at them, a soft, happy, wistful smile that once again brought to my attention that there was something more to why Serena lives the way she does.

Troy finally stood Amy on her own two feet and kissed her. This time, Amy responded by wrapping her arms around his neck, standing on tip toe and kissing him back.

"Awwwwwwwwwwww, you two are so cute it's making me sick." Serena said after a minute of them kissing. They pulled apart and Troy turned around to glare at her while Amy hid her face in her hands.

"So Darien, aren't you going to give them your blessings?" Serena asked. I blinked and looked at the two of them staring at me. I run my fingers through my head nervously and Amy blinked.

"Darien!" she sort of yelled.

"What?" I asked she quickly ran to me and touched my hair, wiggling her fingers through.

"I hadn't even noticed you had cut your hair." I looked down at her with a bemused look.

"Are you serious? I look totally different with my hair cut." I said. She blinked and stepped back. The shook her head.

"I can't see it. This is how you've always looked to me, just without the hair that was always in your eyes." She said, I gaped at her.

"I wouldn't have noticed any difference if she hadn't pointed it out right now." Troy said. "It looks good on you." He finished. I looked up at Serena and she was smiling. I sighed.

"Well thank you." I said to the both of them before hugging Amy.

"I'm happy that you have found someone to share your beautiful heart and smile with. You know I've always got your back right?" I said as I ruffled her short hair. She nodded.

"Good." I turned to Troy with a serious expression.

"She is a good girl." I said.

"I know that." He responded.

"She is very shy."

"I know that."

"She is very smart."

"I'm aware.

"She has a bright future ahead of her."

"I agree."

"But she is a woman and no matter what, her heart must come first. Break it and I will break you. Treasure her and you will have a place in my good grace. Abuse her and you will be hurt ten times the pain you caused her, love her and you can be sure I will always have your back. Amy is my sister and I love her dearly. I will not tolerate anyone taking her for granted. Money may have raised you up, but it was love that made her who she is now and how she is now is what made you fall for her. I expect that to be the same reason even ten years from now." I said and I meant every word. He looked in my eyes and saw I was very serious.

"I promise you that if she is ever hurt, it won't be because of me nor will it be because I neglected protect her." He replied back and I saw in his eyes how honestly he spoke. I smiled, stretched my hand out to him and he shook it, smiling in return.

"Why are you making it seemed as if they are getting married?" Serena said as she pulled out a chair to sit. I chuckled and turned back to Amy, several tears had slid down her face.

"And you're crying as if it's your wedding day." Serena said to her and we all laughed.

"Guys are not supposed to say such sweet words" Amy said.

"It's so sweet I can feel cavities starting to itch up in my teeth." Serena said with a roll of her eyes.

"Stop hating." I said to her.

"I'm not hating, I'm only stating." She replied, then she stood up and stretched.

"Ok Romeo and Juliet, you must leave now. Darien and I have a busy day ahead of us." She said. She stood up, walked around Troy to stand behind Amy and started pushing.

"But I didn't finish eating my pancakes." Amy said as she was being pushed out.

"Romeo will get you something to eat. Now bye bye." She pushed them out the door and closed it. Outside, we could hear the two of them laughing. Their laughter moving away as they left.

"Well?" Serena said as she turned back to me.

"I have to finish my breakfast." I said and sat back down to eat. She sighed.

"Take your time and I might leave you." She said and I smiled at her.

"Care to join me?" I asked. She rolled her eyes and stood up. She walked to the hall that led to the rooms.

"Hurry up!" she called behind her and I chuckled a little.

I wolfed down the remainder of the food and washed the plates and set them out to air dry. I looked around the kitchen and saw all was right before heading to my room where I expected her to be. She wasn't.

When I turned to walk out, I saw the bathroom light on.

"I'm done." I said. The door opened and I saw she had changed. I blinked.

"What?" she asked.

"You look cute almost." I said with a smile.

"I can't always be looking sexy now can I?" she said, rolling her eyes.

"Why not?" I asked as she walked past me to my bedroom.

"Because it's too much trouble." She was looking sexy but she was wearing a pink mini skirt and a white spaghetti hand tank top with a small pink jacket. This was the first time I had ever seen her in colors other than black and dark red. She looked lovely in pink but there was this innocence about it that toned down the seductive sexiness that always accompanied her.

"Well, don't I get a kiss?" I asked.

"You just ate didn't you?" she asked as she sat on the bed, crossing one leg over the other and totally taking the innocence off the outfit.

"Yeah?" I said, trying to calm my racing heart.

"Brush first. The taste of syrup makes my stomach turns." She said.

"Oh ok." I said and left for the bathroom. Once again, I came back from blushing to find her on my bed looking as if she was asleep. I tiptoed over to her and her eyes popped open.

"You're not that quiet you big cat." She said with a chuckled.

"Well at least I tried." I said.

"And failed." She replied as she grabbed my shirt and pulled me to her. I toppled on top of her and we started kissing. My body once again remembered the feel of her from last night and the hunger I had kept at bay since waking up and hearing her name returned with a vengeance. I devoured her lips and pressed myself harder on her, letting her opening feel the rigidness of my staff. I kissed down her face to her neck as she ran her fingers through my head. Then slowly and deliberately, I trailed my kiss up her soft skin back to her lips, my hands dancing over her body and breasts.

She stopped me as my hand got closer to her tits.

"Darien." She said. I sighed.

"I know. It's just so hard." I replied in her ears where my head had fallen.

"Shhhh." She said soothingly as she gently messaged my head and neck. We stayed in that position for a while and I enjoyed her scent. I brought my lips back to her after a while and kissed her passionately, driving my tongue into the deepest corner of her mouth. As always she was two steps ahead of me as her tongue and mouth devoured mine. She was such a great kisser that she was driving me mad. As we kissed, she brought us up from the bed and when we parted, I was standing with my back bent and she was sitting.

"Let's go, we have much to do today." She said when I am trying to catch my breath.

"One day," I said with a gasp. "I hope to be able to drive you mad the way you do me."

"That's a long ways off lover boy." She said and walked out the door. I followed her out of my room and out of the house. I locked the house door knowing mother had a key and went to the front of the house where she was standing by a shiny silver sports car. I looked on curiously as I walked to her and it.

"Where is your black car?" I asked.

"At home. This is one of the cars I got for my birthday. When we return, you will drop me home and bring the car to your house to use."

"Wait, what?!" I asked, my eyes wide.

"You don't want the car?" she asked, her head tilted to the side. I noticed whenever she was puzzled; her head would till the right side.

"You're just going to hand the car over to me?" I asked.

"Yeah?" this is a big deal right? I'm allowed to be astonished right?

"Are you crazy? That car cost over thousands!" I said and it really looked expensive too. It looked so clean and shiny and beautiful that it was as if it was made this year.

"I wouldn't know. I didn't buy it. Besides, I've only used it for a month since I got it two years ago I think. It's pretty much been sitting in the garage collecting dust. It's either you want it or you don't. Stop making things too complicated." She said, opened the driver's door and sat in the seat. I shook my head and sighed. Wonders never cease.

I walked around to the front passenger seat and fastened in my seat belt.

"Besides, what makes you think I have a license?" I asked her. She turned her head to me for a fraction of a minute before turning back to the road as she reversed.

"You better have it by your birthday." She said simply.

"And if I don't know how to drive?" I asked.

"Then I will teach you." Her phone rang and she picked it up.

"Princess speaking." She answered. "Oh, KC what's up? No not really. I knew. It's not my place. Nah, I'm with a friend right now. Yes a guy, a cute one too." She said and turned to wink at me. "It's a little too late now; yesterday we had a very steamy sex." I nearly chocked when she said that. Her lips lifted up and her cheeks balled up and I knew she was trying not to laugh at me. "Oh I see. What!? Mercy did that!? Damn, that girl is getting ahead of me. I better watch my back around her. Ok, just be careful aight? Yeah, talk to you later. Love you too. Bye hon." She finally finished talking and put the phone away. It was one of those touch phones, the I phone I believe it's called. It had the apple symbol on the back.

"Who was that?" I asked.

"KC. He's in the US. A childhood friend of mine." She answered.

"Oh."

"Jealous?"

"I always will be of any guy in your life that is not your brother or father or a very close cousin." I answered honestly. She giggled.

"You're honesty is your redeeming factor Darien. It's what makes it hard for me to walk out of your life else I would have walked the minute you told me that you loved me." she said.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because when emotions like that get mix in, things get complicated." She answered. There was something in her voice that bothered me and I realized she was uncomfortable on the subject.

"So what are we doing today?" I asked.

"Shopping, kissing, more shopping and more kissing." She said with a laugh. I rolled my eyes, this girl is something else.

You know how when you are watching a movie, sometimes scenes roll into each other to express days passing by? That's how today was like though this wasn't expressing days but events within a day. From one store to another, trying clothes on, kissing, clothes, making out, and more clothes, I had never been that exhausted in my life. But I had an amazing time with Serena. I was smiling pretty much the whole time that I feared I would not be able to have a straight face for the rest of my life. Whenever I choose a right dress for her, she would make out with me in the changing room. It wasn't only clothes but shoes, watches, some chains and even boxers. Which she picked out herself saying that there are some types of boxers she finds sexy on a man. I also felt more connected to her than ever, she was open, laughing and I felt it too that she was having a blast. She shopped more for me than for herself. By the time I returned home in the night around ten, I was burdened with so much clothes that not all of it fit in the closet. Mother helped me fold the rest and stash them in my drawer. She was amazed at all the things I had gotten thanks to Serena and I knew Serena had won another heart.

That night, after everything was put away, I called her on the phone to thank her but she wouldn't hear of it. And she greatly protested to picking me up in the morning for school because she was either planning to ditch or come in late so she could have her beauty sleep. In the end, I talked her into coming to pick me up with plans to teach me how to drive after school.

After we said goodnight which I really didn't want to say, I prepared for bed. Unfortunately, having spent the whole day with her and talking to her on the phone, I was far too excited to sleep. And that excitement eventually turned to restlessness that prevented me from sleeping until five am. Having to wake up at six thirty was a bitch. I cursed the school for making college as if we were still in high school. Get there at seven thirty and out by three. How annoying. And our school was the only school that was like that, we didn't have that flexible day or night classes like normal colleges and it pissed me off this morning more than ever. But mother woke me up and having no excuse other than that I hadn't gotten a good night sleep. I rouse and showered and prepared. Mother had already left.

At seven exactly, there was a knock on my door. I knew it was Serena so I grabbed my pack and went to answer the door.

"Morning sunshine." She said brightly.

"I thought you were supposed to be sleepy in the morning." I said and laid my head on her shoulder. She patted my back softly.

"I'm not really a morning person but when I'm up, I'm up." She said and I groaned. "Why are you so sleepy?"

"I didn't sleep until five."

"Why?"

"Because, at first I was thinking about you and then later I became too restless to sleep."

"You're kidding right?" she said and I shook my head. I heard her sigh. "Fool." She said and hugged me. I returned the hug. When we straightened up, she leaned up and kissed me passionately and it woke me right up.

"Let's go." She said, taking my hand and leading me away from the house into her black car. As she drove, I sort of nodded off.

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	6. Chapter 6

******Love Is Wicked: Eclipse**

**Chapter 6**

I woke up when both of her hands had cupped my face and her lips were pressed against mine. She was sitting on my lap too.

"Hey." She said when my eyes opened.

"Are we here?" I asked drowsily.

"Not exactly." I blinked, finally taking notice of where we were.

"What are we doing at a hotel?" I asked, several very favorable ides was running through my head at the same time I was painfully aware that this was a school day.

"You need to sleep. Look at you, how do you expect to stay awake in school like this?" she said.

"No Serena, we need to get to school." I said, trying to sit straighter. She pushed me back against the seat.

"Darien, listen to me please. You need to sleep. I will feel guilty if you go to school looking as you are."

"But…"

"Please." She said with her lips on mine. This was so unfair; she was getting my consent through manipulation of my desire for her! I knew it but I could not refuse her. I sighed.

"Ok, but only for half a day." I said.

"You're too stubborn." She said as she stood up. I stood up as well, closed the door and followed her into the hotel. She had already made arrangements so all she did was get a room key from the receptionist and we took the elevator to the very top floor.

We entered a VIP room and lord, the beauty within almost woke me up completely. The wall was painted yellow furnished with even brighter yellow couches, bed, TV, a table with two people chair and all. The play of yellow tones was beautiful. And with the golden chandelier at the top, there was this feel of grand majesty about the whole room that somehow humbled me and made me feel as if I had just stepped into another realm.

"Welcome to my private suit." Serena said. I looked up at her puzzled.

"This is my private room. This whole hotel is owned by my big brother." She said. My jaw dropped.

"Are you serious?" I asked.

"Why will I joke about something like this." She said as she dropped the car keys on the table and sat on the bed, all the while stared at her with my jaw hanging. She crossed one leg over the other and I took noticed of what she was wearing. It was a blue jean skirt, a white free hands shirt that hugged her figure, especially her chest since it lands right above her breasts and a chest length jean jacket.

"You like wearing small jackets don't you?" I asked.

"Shut up and come make me feel good." She said as she took off the jacket. She put her hands on the bed behind her and titled her head to the left and smiled at me.

"Serena. I thought we came so I can get some sleep." I said. She raised her brow and a cat like smile crossed her lips.

"Oh." She said. She touched the edges of the shirt at her breasts and pushed it down all the way to her waist. I groaned, now this was really unfair. She then fully climbed on the bed and moved to the middle and lay on her stomach. She pulled out a magazine and began flipping through with her legs hanging and waving in the air. She began humming a cheerful tune too. Seriously, why are the Gods punishing me? Seriously, what crimes have I committed that I deserve to be punished like this?

"You might want to get your sleep now." She said but how could I now? I watched her creamy back and already I could feel her taste on my tongue. I sighed and moved to the side of the bed.

"Why are you doing this to me?" I asked.

"Because it is fun and because I want to break you."

"Break me?" she looked up at me for a minute before returning back to the magazine.

"Yes, break you. I want to show you that your foolish endeavor to obtain me will lead to nothing but heartbreak for you." She said. There was no playfulness in her voice. I suddenly became angry. I don't know why but I just suddenly felt annoyed with her. I climbed the bed and straddled waist. I leaned down and placed my hands in between her and the bed and drew it up to cup her breasts. I squeezed it and she gave and intake of breath. I brought my lips to her waist, allowed my tongue to touch her bare back. Slowly, deliberately, I drew my tongue down the middle of her back all the way to her shoulder blades while squeezing her breasts. She moaned in pleasure, her back rising to meet my lips. I lingered at her throat, softly biting and kissing her around there. I squeezed her breasts harder, pressed my groin against her ass as her skirt roused up from her legs. She moaned and gasped.

"Harder, squeeze harder." She moaned and I complied with her wishes. I turned her around and sucked on her breasts and rubbed my hands over her stomach which was so flat. I drew my lips to her throat and kissed her there passionately. I drew my hands up to her breasts again, squeeze and enjoying the feel of her body as it rose up to bump into mine.

Then suddenly I stopped. Every motion, every movement came to a stop.

"Darien?" She said after a minute.

"I can't."

"What?" she asked. I sat up on her and stared down at her.

"I can't do this anymore. I want you so badly. This little kisses and making out isn't enough anymore." I said and lifted myself off of her. I sat at the edge of the bed with my head in my hands.

There was absolute silence in the room and I started to have doubts. I had known from the beginning this was all I was going to get until my birthday, I had agreed to it, I just hadn't realized how hard it was going to be. I felt her shift on the bed and before I knew it she was at my back. She wove her hands around me and began unbuttoning my shirt.

"Serena." I said, ready to apologize.

"Shhh, come. Make love to me to me." she whispered in my ears as she reached the last button.

"What?" I asked as I turned my face to her. The button came undone and she gently pulled the shirt off.

"It's unreasonable of me to make you wait until your birthday when there is such sexual tension between us. So let's get it over with." She said as she unzipped the zipper of my pants. I was very sad. I pushed her away, the hardest thing I have ever done in my life.

"Do you think I want to have sex with you so that we can 'get it over'!" I yelled. She didn't understand my feelings at all. "What, you think all I want is sex!"

"Urrrgh! So then what the hell do you want from!" she yelled back, glaring at me. I realized this was the first time I had seen her angry as her eyes danced with flames.

"How about your heart! Is that too much to ask?"

"That you will never get." She replied through her teeth. I opened my mouth to say something but then stopped and sighed. We shouldn't be fighting and it wasn't her fault. She had warned me so many times. I was stupid, I was making things difficult.

"I'm sorry, I just don't know what's gotten into me." I said. She was kneeling on the bed with her face turned to the window so she wasn't looking at me. I climbed back on the bed on my knees too and touched her shoulders with both my hands.

"Please, forgive me." I said as I rubbed down at her arms. She was stiff and shaking. After a while though she relaxed and turned to me. She placed her hands on my cheeks and looked deeply into my eyes.

"Make love to me."

"Serena…"

"You're not the only one whose body is burning to be released." She said.

"Why don't you have one of your many guy partners do it then?" I asked her. I was happy she wanted to make love with me. And I was so glad she had used the words make love instead of have sex, but I was worried about her motives. But what I feared most was that if I did sleep with her, she would have no reason to be with me anymore.

"Because it has to be you. If it's not then it isn't worth it." She answered. I didn't understand but I wasn't about to argue with her anymore.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Yes." She said. I folded her in my arms, squeezed her real tight and kissed her neck.

"Thank you." I whispered.

Eventually, amidst the touching and kissing and suckling and squeezing and moaning and heavy breathing, all our clothes came off. I had imagined the moment that I would get to go inside of her so many times and each time it always was a thrust, but with her lying beneath me looking so soft, so womanly, the wildness I felt replaced with a need to be gently with her. To protect her, to treasure her and to treasure this sacred mating. As I was easing into her, she shut her eyes tightly and I wondered what that was all about, I got my answer soon enough. I couldn't just go into her, something was blocking me. Her hole was not big enough. Let me rephrase that, her hole ws not big at all! I looked down at her.

"Serena?" I asked, confused. For someone who knew all about sex and had experienced it over and over, I expected her to be able to suck me in without resistance. I looked down at her but she wouldn't meet my eyes and tears were trailing down her face though half her face was buried in the bed.

"What's wrong?" I asked, totally forgetting about the problem of why I wasn't going into her as I should. For a minute, she didn't say anything. Not a word. The she began to wiggle. I realized she was trying to pull away from under me so I loosened myself for her to be able to do so. She grabbed some portion of the blanket and covered herself with it as she began to cry. She pulled her legs up and buried his face into it. Then she wrapped her arms around her legs as her body wracked with sobs. I was completely thrown for a loop. What the heck was going on!

I moved to sit by her and wrapped my arms around her.

"Shhh, it's ok." I said, making more meaningless noises at her. For nearly thirty minutes she cried until she could cry no longer, then she just remained in the silent position for another twenty more minutes and I sat there, holding her and not knowing what the hell was going on.

"It happened when I was twelve." She murmured. Her voice was very low so I had to pay close attention.

"Mom was interested in this guy. He told her if she would offer me to sleep with him one time, he would marry her. One time turned two, then three and suddenly I lost count. On one of this episode, uncle Tyson, mother's ex lover in college came upon us. He was so angry that he nearly killed the guy and he demanded I tell him everything that happened. So I did. It was then that I learned the truths I hadn't known before." She said and hic upped. She waited a moment to compose herself together. She moved her head from hiding and placed it on her knee. She looked straight ahead, unblinking as silent tears trailed down her cheeks. I didn't know how to react to what she had just told me. It explained why she was so messed up. Well I thought she was but obviously there was something else going on that I didn't know about.

"Uncle Tyson was no longer uncle." She barked a laugh. "He was actually my father. In college, he and his girlfriend had a fight and in anger he went to sleep with my mother. Who was actually his girlfriend's twin sister. There had been a big battle and a lot of pain and heartbreak but they had resolved the issue. Then when Troy was born, there was a party going on. My 'dad' got drunk and my mother took advantage of him by sleeping with him. A few months later, she was found pregnant with his child. Terence, Travis, Selena, Selene and Troy are all my half siblings. Same father but different mothers. My mother is their mother's twin."

"Wait…what!" I asked. I was trying to follow the story but I was a tad bit confused. She sighed.

"Think of it this way. My mother went and slept with Troy's father, her own sister's husband, and became pregnant with me."

"Oh"

"And when it was found out that she had been having that guy sleep with me in other to keep him, father wanted her arrested. But she went and pleaded with her sister who is my aunt and my aunt helped her escape to a different continent totally. Because of the sleeping around, I had to be carefully tested to make sure I hadn't contracted any illness. And that test revealed something a condition I had always had since I was born." She said and went silent again.

"Which was?"

"Heart failure. I had a very weak heart and my days on earth were numbered. The doctor said there was no way my heart could last me past my twenty first birthday unless I had a heart transplant. Even as a child, I knew the danger of such a surgery, I was so scared I refused to do it. The doctors told dad to give me time to think about it since I still had a couple of years ahead of me, during that time, I was registered as Aunties daughter but she made it clear she didn't like me. At the time, dad was often away and without anyone to protect me, she treated me badly. I guess you can say the anger she felt toward my mother, she poured it on me. Eventually I grew rebellious and began living the clubbing life. My family are very big on appearances, clubbing does not look good. Then I made it seem like I was going around sleeping with people. By the time I realized it, I had created this persona of me that wasn't real but became real because that persona was strong and could put up with the scorn of people. She didn't need any body."

She stopped telling the story here and sighed. She turned her gaze to me and in them I saw something that chilled me. There was this hopelessness in her, this sort of defeat that worried me. What happened to the strong girl I had come to know and love?

"But me, the real me inside is that child that was raped, hurt and left unhealed. When I was 18, I fell in love with a singer. And for a while I was able to stop pretending to be the bad girl I've made you believe I am. I loved him and I thought he loved me, but in the end, he chose his music over me. That was when I vowed I would never love again. Besides, what did I know about love? My mother never loved me; my father thought love meant giving me materialistic things and my siblings with the exception of Troy saw me as the personification of the woman who had tried to steal their mother's happiness. The only kind of affection I have ever known is that of Troy but even then, when his mother is involved, he never stood up for me. So I denounced love, believing that without love, I can live a happy peaceful life. When I met you, I hadn't expected you to love me or anything. I hadn't expected any of this. Lita actually bet that I couldn't keep a guy friend so befriending you was supposed to be me showing her that I could so keep a guy friend. And now look, I've messed it all up." She said and looked out the window. I was suddenly very glad that we had not gone to school. If we had, I would never have come to know her as I now did. She has suffered so much in her life, no wonder she was so twisted.

"You're a virgin." I said. She scoffed.

"Have you been listening to me?" she asked with a raised brow.

"Tell me, other than that guy, who else gve you slept with?" I asked.

"No one."

"When your virginity is forcefully taken away from you, when it is not freely give, a person can still claim their virginity. Second of all, I heard about something called second time virginity or something. It's is when you don't have sex after for a long time. Your, um, well private parts close up again like a virgin. Which in this case explains why I couldn't so easily enter into you."

"So your saying that after being raped for nearly six months, I am still a virgin."

"Did you give your consent to be raped?"

"Yes."

"What?" she shook her head.

"I would be beaten so badly that there were times I just couldn't fight it anymore."

"That is not consent." I said.

"Whatever you say." She said and turned over to lie down. Her back was to me. I laid at her back, propelled her to me and crossed my leg over her tighs.

"Look at me." I breathed in her ear.

"Darien…"

"Please." She sighed and turned around. I touched her cheek as we gazed into each other's eyes.

"I love you." She rolled her eyes. "Just hear me out. I love you and I don't have any music to take me away from you or anything that will take me away from you. Besides, true music is the beat and the words of heart. That guy was a fool to leave a treasure like you for music. Serena, I don't know why but I've been crazy about you since the moment I met you. My heart is no longer my own. I have never been in love before but I know love when it lives inside me. Please, I'm begging you, believe me. I will never hurt you. I just want you to be happy." I said, very and sincerely meaning every word.

"Stop talking to me and make love to me already." She said.

"No."

"No?" she asked, her eyes becoming suspicious.

"No, not until the day you believe and accept my feelings." I said. She sighed.

"Do you want me to rape you?" she asked.

"You can try but you won't get far, I promise you." I said with an amused smile. She stared at me incredulous, sighed in frustration and turned back around to face the window.

"Serena?"

"Leave me alone." She replied. For a while I didn't say anything. I eventually sighed and propelled her against my body and wrapped my arms around her.

"Serena please. I just don't want what's between us to be only that of physical pleasures. Please, understand that." I begged. I would make love to her if she insisted, but until I have gotten through to her heart, making love to her will have no meaning.

"I know." She said and touched my hand. She squeezed and sighed. "I know."

I drew closer to her neck and kissed. She sighed with content.

"Sleep with me." I sighed at her request. "Not like that. I just want to sleep. I'm a bit tired. Will you just hold me?"

Oh, so that was what she meant.

"Of course. Forever I will hold you and protect you." I said. She turned around to face me.

"Sleep on top of me." she said.

"Huh?"

"I mean lie on top of me. I am calmed by your weight on me." she said.

"Oh." I climbed on top of her and she wrapped her arms around me.

"Mmmm, your weight on me feels good." She said.

"You're weird." I said.

"I know." She replied. We held each other like this for a while until I felt her heart beat slow down and her breathing consistent. I knew then she had fallen asleep. I slip off a little to the side so she could have more room to breathe. I pulled the blanket over us and held her close to me.

"Goodnight my angel." I said, kissed her softly on the cheek and eventually fell asleep beside her.

Who would have thought that day would be the beginning of heaven and hell!

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	7. Chapter 7

**********Love Is Wicked: Eclipse**

**Chapter 7**

When you are blissfully in love and having an amazing time with the girl or boy of your dreams, often times memories of reality escapes you. Not until it hits you in the face do you remember to be in love in reality as oppose to being in love while your whole heart and mind is on another world.

Well maybe you've never experienced that exactly but you have to admit that sometimes, being in love for a moment can erase all your worries. Like I said, for a moment. Well that was what happened to me. Haven tasted Serena's body, felt her softness under me and gaining an insight into who she really was, her past and her worries, I was blissfully unaware that I had just skipped a whole day of school!

After we woke up, which was around four, we decided to go out to eat it. After that we went to the amusement park to enjoy some of the rides. Serena was still herself but she was softer somehow. Her remarks didn't make me nervous or unsure and her smile was brighter and her every touch suddenly had a great importance to it in which I had missed before. Her eyes were dancing and her hair was left down. It was very beautiful, flowing down her back to almost the floor in a river of silver moonlight. It attracted so much attention, some attention more wanted than others. I had to restrain myself many times from doing body harm to the fools who kept coming at her to flirt or to just 'innocently' suggest another toy for her 'pleasures'. Serena would laugh with them but she made it perfectly clear that she wasn't interested. Before, I would have thought she was flirting back with them and playing hard to get, but haven come to understanding her today, I noticed things that I would not have otherwise notice. Uncomfortability. She was good at playing the games but she was uncomfortable when surrounded by guys or girls. The crowd bothered her but she was most annoyed when guys came to flirt with her. It was subtle that even the sharpest of person would have missed, but I noticed it through the tightening and deepening of her eyes, the breathless edge to her voice I had mistaken for a sexy drawl and the close proximity she kept to me.

I wondered how I had missed all of this. Her tough attitude was just a front, a persona as she had said, created to hide herself. She feared for herself because she was very aware of her own beauty and she was also very aware how the male population viewed her. Think about it, she had an ass; breasts and a flawless, smooth skin that would make even a blind man look (I'm sure you know what I mean). And her voice was so silky and light or deep when she is driving someone purposefully nuts. She knew she stood out like a candle in a dark room and men flocked to her as if she was the only woman on earth. She had personally experienced men going out of the norm to claim her as she told me later that day, so she always had to be careful and be strong. She had later learned to pretend to not care. In pretending not to care, the kidnapping and the plays on her fears reduced tremendously. Problem is, she said, that when you learn something and practice it so often, it becomes a habit or addiction you cannot break so easily.

She said, "That is the difference between me as Serena and me as Serenity. When I am being Serenity, people see me as sweet, innocent, made of money and weak. This image gives people the idea that they have to protect me and they can only do so by owning me. But as Serena, I am the tough, rebellious, bitchy girl who would open her legs to anyone just to get what she wants and would take shit from nobody. Often times, it is Serena that walks the earth. Sometimes I even forget I am Serenity, or that Serenity was before Serena."

I felt honored as she opened up to me because I knew she didn't do that with just anyone. By seven, we arrived at the drive way of my house. As soon as she turned off the engine, she fell back on her seat with a sigh and turned her face to me with a smile.

"Have fun?" she asked.

"More so than I have ever had in all my life." I admitted. I touched her face and hold her cheek. I have never felt a skin like that, so smooth and flawless and perfect.

"Why do I feel so much for you? It's driving me nuts! I feel that my heart is going to burst out of my body!" I said honestly. I wanted her, not in sexual way. I just wanted her. Love, lust, infatuation, need, want and desperation fused together in me, in my heart, soul, mind and body and they were all pointed at her. She was the only one who could quench this unrelenting thirst within me. A thirst that only came to my knowledge when I first saw her at her house and when she winked at me. I knew then things would never be the same, and they haven't. Haven met her; I now truly know the meaning of happiness. The meaning of love and there were no words to describe it. She was my soul mate; I knew it and I believed it. I only hoped there was a way to show her and make her believe it as well.

I moved my face toward hers and she met me halfway in a passionate kiss. She held my cheek as I held hers and our tongue and mouth plunged into each other, dancing, flirting and passionately infusing each other with our presence. I wanted to mark her as mine and whether she thought the same thing or not, her lips devoured mine in equal passion.

"Darien, is that you?" Amy's voice reached my ears and I stopped, only then realizing my body had rose and was nearly on top of Serena with her head pressed to her window. I moved back and saw my mother at the back of the car. I was glad Serena's car glass was dark, hard to see in from the outside but able to do so from inside.

"Answer her." Serena whispered, her voice breathless. I also realized she looked thoroughly kissed and inwardly I felt a tiny victory. She leaned up and wiped my lips. I kissed her hand before she withdrew it. I opened the car door and stepped out before taking my eyes off of her. When my head was completely out of the car, I looked at the back of the car where Amy was standing. She ran to me and I caught her in a hug.

"Oh thank God!" she said then quickly stepped back.

"Your mother is pissed!" she said. I blinked.

"Why?" I asked dumbly.

"Why!" Amy screeched, her eyes wide. I run through my head things my mom would not be happy with, there were many and all involved Serena.

"School." I said and my eyes widened. Mom was definitely pissed. I could mess around all I wanted but messing around with school and my education was the only exception!

"Oh hell." I muttered and Amy nodded. She knew I was dead. Serena came out of the car.

"What's going on?" She asked.

"Your family is here." Amy answered before I could say anything.

"What?" Serena and I said and looked at her in alarm.

"I want to tell you guys now to run away and come back ten years later but that might not help the situation." Amy said, real fear in her eyes. Fear and worry ignited in me. I looked at Serena, she saw my worry and rolled her eyes.

"Let's go in." She said, taking the first steps.

"Is she insane?" Amy whispered.

"Apparently." I replied.

We followed her around the house to the entry way where she stood aside and waited for me to open the door. I knew she wasn't waiting for me to open the door out of fear, but this wasn't her house so she was being courteous. I took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly and sent a little prayer for mercy to Jesus.

I opened the door and all eyes turn on us. Too many eyes to count. I saw my mom, Rei whose eyes widened as they landed on me, Troy, three police men and the rest of Serena's family with the exception of the father. Andrew was here as well with his little sister Elizabeth and some of my old friends, Molly and Melvin. Lita, Amara, Michelle, Alan and Ann were here as well. Ann was smirking and Bret was also here. Amy's mother was here as well. Even some of Rei's friends, Mina and a few more were here.

What the hell? Had someone died or something?

Serena walked past me and Amy followed before I went in completely and closed the door. For a minute, no one said anything and I could not bring myself to look at my mother.

"Where have you been?" Mother asked calmly. Understand something; my mom gets angry two ways. One is more deadly than the other. One way you know when my mom is angry is when she is screaming, her eyes flaming and cursing you out. That normally means she fighting herself between worry and anger and the result is her explosion. Then the other anger is when her voice is calm, her actions calm but inwardly she is seething with wrath. This is her most deadly form of anger, often times it is not turned on me but once it is directed on me, I would always wish to be buried

"We were at my family's hotel." Serena answered before I could say anything. Truth was I was about to lie. Saying something like that would get both her and I killed! I looked at Serena and she was just as calm as my mother.

"The whole day?" Mother asked. I swallowed, her eyes were dark. God please, calm the storm! I prayed.

"No, not really." Serena said and sat herself on the handle of the couch. It was driving me mad how calm she could be when I was panicking.

"We went to the amusement park too." Serena finished and I sighed in defeat. We were doom and nothing could save us.

"Darien, what day is today?" Mother asked, staring right at me. I sighed.

"I'm sorry mother." I replied.

"Imagine my worry when at eleven, Mr. Crawford called me asking if you were ok only to learn that you were not in school. I went all around searching for you and even enlisted the police help. The only reason why they helped me is because of a friend of mine who is a police woman and knows you just don't take off like that so waiting the normal 48 hours could not comply. And all this time, you were in a hotel and at the amusement park?" Mother said, her voice so calm. I sighed.

"I came to pick him up in the morning to school. He was sleepy because he had not been able to sleep until five am. Halfway to school I saw how tired he really was and he had fallen asleep in my car. I decided it was no good to have him in school if he couldn't keep awake and since we were closer to my family hotel, I just took him there to rest. And since I'm not a morning person, while he slept I did so too. We woke up about four, went out to eat and went to the amusement park and finally came here." Serena answered before I could say my apology.

"You expect us to believe that you could sleep from like 8 in the morning until four?" Selene, one of the twin sisters said. She was the one with the air of authority that separated her from her twin sister.

"I don't expect anything of or from you. Never have, never will." Serena answered.

"So, you guys just _**slept**_ in the hotel the entire time?" Bret asked, his voice emphasizing stress. My eyes narrowed at him, I knew what he was getting at.

"It seems you are hard of hearing." Serena answered. "Yes, we just _**slept**_ as hard as it is to believe. Of course I wanted more but being morally obligated to live a virgin life until marriage, Darien wouldn't have us do anything." She finished with a pout that even I believed that was all that happened. Which it was but it definitely wasn't moral that kept us from making love. From the corner of my eye, I saw mother sigh. I wonder what that meant.

"No reason excuses your behavior today, I hope you know that Darien." Mother said. I nodded.

"Isn't that kinda harsh? I mean would you have your son at school falling asleep in class than to be sleeping it off? Besides, I will bet my life on it that this is the first time it has happened." Serena said.

"First, because of you!" Mother snapped. This I wasn't expecting.

"Mother!" I said in shock and anger.

"Don't mother me!" She said standing up, the flame of anger in her eyes rose to dance angrily. "You've gone to a hotel with a 20 year old woman who is notoriously known to sleep with any man for any reason! What the hell do you expect me to think? And if that's not enough, I have decided to believe that nothing of sexual activities transpired between the two of you because I raised you better than that! Don't you dare defend her to me you fool! Is this your normal behavior? Cut class to go sleep in a hotel? And you went to a club! When in all the years of raising you have I ever allowed you to do something like that? And all this happened because of her! So don't you dare defend her to me!" she screamed.

"Maybe that was why he was so gullible to my manipulation. After all, he's never known what real fun is. I can just imagine the poor boy growing up and cooped up in a small corner only studying while all his friends and people his age are outside playing. While that makes him smart Mrs. Shield, it makes him a very easy target to manipulation. It's like offering freedom to the slave." Serena said.

"And what freedom do you offer my son? Sex? Destruction to the bright future he has? Disobedience? Disregard for his mother? Moral corruption? Do you know the hell I've gone through to bring my son up the way he is?" Mother snapped at her and Serena sighed.

"You make it look like I'm the bad guy. Believe it or not, it is your son that might yet change me." Serena said.

"Go find one of those Jesus jokers. My son is not your savior!"

"You're taking this totally out of proportion." Serena said.

"Serena." I said, my voice filled with warning. She turned blazing eyes on me.

"If you're going to stand there and take all this in like a fool, that's your business but don't expect me to play the fool with you!" She snapped at me and I blinked. This was the first time Serena had ever been mad at me and between her and my mother, I didn't know whose anger I couldn't handle.

"Serena, your conduct is getting overbearing. Do you have any idea how embarrassing it is for our family when people see Police walking in and out of your father and my office?" Serena's mother said, her voice tired. It made me wonder if she was as bad as Serena made her sound.

"Ahh, were you troubled. Oh dear, we can't have that. It's not good for your image." Serena said, heavy sarcasm drenching every word like one gallon of milk on a one cup of cereal.

There was absolute silence. Time to intervene.

"Mother, I am really sorry for the way I have behaved today. It will not happen again." Serena looked at me sharply. There was almost a hurt look on her face and I felt bad about it but it was better to placate my mom now than to fuel her.

"And Mrs. Star, I am really sorry for the inconvenience our willful behavior has caused you. Though I hope you eventually see that Serena is more than the troublemaker you seem to see her as." I said. I don't know if I was scolding or apologizing.

Serena's phone rang.

"What?" she said, her voice edgy. Then she blinked and sighed

"I'm sorry grandmother; you just caught me in a bad mood. It's alright, just a bunch of fools getting on my nerves. But its fine, everything ok?" she listened for a minute and her eyes flamed! "What? After everything we've done for them?" she listened again. "Bastards!" and again she listened and we tried to listen but her phone was very silent. Her expression though was furious. "It's alright grandmother. I will be there by the morning. I'm going home now, I will fax you the information." "Understood. As of this moment, cancel all transactions with them." "Ok, ok. I will see you soon. Bye." She said, sighed and hanged up. She stood up and came to stand by me.

"Sorry hon but I've got to go." She said. She leaned up and kissed me on the lips and walked past me to the door. I saw the shock reflected on all their faces. Even I was a bit shocked, I hadn't expected her to kiss me in front of everybody.

"I'll see you later k?" she said.

"No, you will not. Stay away from my son!" Mother screamed. I turned to look at Serena who had the door opened and was looking over her shoulders with a cat like smile.

"And who is going to stop me? You?" She said and walked away. The door softly closed behind her.

"Officers, I want a restriction warranty on that girl from my son!" mother said to the policemen.

"Mother!"

"Shut up!" she screamed back at me.

"Not without his consent ma'am and not without a reasonable reason." One of the officers said.

"I am his MOTHER. That is the only consent you need!"

"I'm afraid if he is over eighteen…"

"He is only seventeen years old!" mother said.

"Eighteen in a month!" I corrected.

"Well until then your mother is still the deciding factor. Now even still, we need a reasonable reason to give out such a warranty." The officer said again.

"Did you not see what had just happened! She is a grown woman frolicking with my son."

"There is no evidence to support that claim."

"They went to a hotel!"

"Yes but unless he or she give evidence that they did more than_** sleeping**_, there is nothing we can do that doesn't go against the law." The police officer said again. At the word sleep, I knew he didn't believe it, that all we had done was sleep. Mother turned to me.

"Did you not do anything at all?" she asked, her eyes employing me to admit it or something.

"No mother. We didn't." I said.

"Don't lie to me!" she snapped.

"I am not!" I said.

"Mrs. Shields…" Lita said rising to her feet. "Serena may seem like a bad girl, and she may be notoriously known for sleeping around, but she is equally notoriously known for being blunt and a truth teller. If she said nothing happened, I employ you to believe it. Serena does not lie."

"That is the truth." Michelle said as she and Amara rouse up too.

"Good day then." Amara finished off and we watched all three of them leave the house.

"Mrs. Shields…" Troy said as he also rose up. "My sister maybe many things, but one thing she is not is a liar." He too walked out and Amy shyly followed after him. I was hoping the rest will up and out too but they didn't.

"Darien, listen to your mother and do as she says. My daughter will only be a stumbling block to your future, which as I understand it, your quite the talented student." I could not believe what Mrs. Star was saying. It brought to home what Serena had said this afternoon about her. Did she hate Serena so much that she would say something this awful about her?

"Mrs. Shield, I beg you and everyone else to let my future be MY future." I said through gritted teeth.

"Over my dead body. If expect your future to come from this stupid course you are starting to follow, you can count me out! I didn't bring you up single handedly only to watch you destroy the very life I bled and sweat for you! Do you hear me!" Mother yelled.

"I am not destroying anything mother! I am just in love with Serena, is it too much to ask to let my heart be?" I retorted.

"Love is one thing and lust is another." Selena said. I glared at her.

"Don't presume to know what and how I feel!" I snapped at her.

"Watch your tongue." The silver haired piano man said coldly. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Why, because your sister is so fragile that a little voice raise and she will fall apart?" I said slowly with a sarcastic drawl I was sure Serena would appreciate.

"If you cross me, you will find I am not as merciful as the rest of my family." He said, the threat real.

"Oh I'm sure of you having no mercy. Neither does any member of your family except Troy."

"Don't speak about my family as if you know us!" Their mother snapped.

"Ha! Hit a nerve right? That's why a child of twelve had to pay for crimes she did not commit at your hands. You've been treating Serena like a terror since you adopted her only because of what her mother had done. You forgot that what her mother had done had hurt her as well. But all you can see is your own sense of betrayal and anger. And you made sure she knew she was unwanted in your family. So yes, I do believe there is no mercy in any one of you!" Those who didn't know what I was talking about looked from Mrs. Star who was glaring at me to me who was glaring back at her.

The guitar guy stood up.

"Darien, we came here to warn you to be careful of ruining your future by messing around with Serenity. We've warned you. If you are to get hurt or something bad arises from this affair you're having with my sister, you can be sure none of us will be of any help to you. And while you are at it, leave my brother Troy out of you and Serena's business. With this said, we will take our leave now." He said and stretched his hand out to his mother. The lady took it, looked at me one more time with pity and walked out after her son with the rest of the family following.

"Everyone else, get out!" Mother yelled and the rest quickly picked up their belongings and followed them out. Even the police officers seemed afraid of mom. They too left. Rei was the last to leave but not before saying, "They are saying this for your own good. I've known Serena my whole life. She is a devil in disguise."

"Whatever." I said and she shook her head and walked out.

"Listen to me Son; I will not tolerate any affairs between you and that girl."

"Mother!"

"I am warning you for the last time, any association with her will make me do something that will put me in prison for the rest of my life. Stay the hell away from her!" I knew she meant every word she said.

"Now, go to your room and get out a piece of paper and pen and write down what you did all day. After that, take out another sheet of paper and write down why doing something like that will make me angry and sad. And take out another sheet of paper and write down all that you wouldn't do again including hanging out with her and why it is better not to involve yourself with her."

"Mom."

"I'm being very calm and lenient right now. Do not infuriate me any longer Darien, or you will make an enemy out of me. You have an hour to leave those three full paged papers on top of the dining table. You will also go without dinner tonight. I was too busy worrying about you to cook anything." She said. I stared at her in astonishment. Finally, I sighed and walked to my room. Not that she was punishing me, she was also punishing herself. Whenever she punished me, she always punished herself and if she can take that punishment, then it means I can too. Since she had not cooked and I couldn't eat, it meant he couldn't eat either although she could quickly whip up something for herself. I thanked God and Serena for the food we ate before returning home.

In my room, I struggled over writing the papers she had requested. I wanted to total opposite of what she had asked but I knew that was no good. Instead I did as she was told, wrote down reasons I knew would make her happy to not hang out with Serena. I hated myself for every word I wrote down. On the paper that I had to write what I had done all day, I made sure to write about Serena's past and her two personalities, hoping that might make mother understand that Serena was not the girl they all saw her as.

After I finished, I went and placed it on the dining table as she had requested and returned to my room. I wanted to call Serena, but the phone was in the living room and calling her would not make mom happy. That was excuse number one; excuse number two is that I was afraid to call her. At the end, what I had said hurt her, I saw it. And mother had told her to stay away from me. I was afraid to call and have her tell me that she didn't want anything to do with me. In the end, I just took a shower and lay on my bed reviewing everything that had happened. I tried to sleep but I couldn't. I got up, took out my books and hoped that studying would calm my nerves.

It did somewhat and eventually around twelve, I got tired enough that I felt sleepy. On the bed, the last image I had was of Serena's hurt face before sleep claimed me.

Early in the morning, I woke up sweating from a dream in which Serena had left. I rushed out of my room to the telephone in the living room and dialed Serena's number. It went straight to voice mail. I didn't say anything and hanged up. I walked back and forth in worry. Ten minutes later, I called her phone again but this time a voice came on that said the phone was out of range. I sat down with a sigh on the couch and dropped my head in my hands. I don't know why but I felt such a great panic in me. Eventually I tried calling again. I think I called like ten times but the results were the same, phone out of range.

I sighed in frustration. I eventually looked up and mother was standing there, watching me with a guarded expression. I looked down and she walked. I called one last time before finally giving up and walking back to my room.

The morning was not looking hopeful at all.

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	8. Chapter 8

**Eclipse**

**Chapter 8**

I had waited at home until seven thirty by which the bus had already left for Serena to come pick me up but she hadn't. I had no choice but to walk to school which made me a few minutes later so I had to serve detention later after school. I went through the day hoping to see her but she wasn't there. I got of coins and used the public phone to call her but her phone was still out of range. I asked Troy where Serena was and he said she was already gone by the time he woke up. Gone where, he did know. The dream I had had in the night came back at me and fear clutched at my heart. She wouldn't leave right? Not without saying anything at least right?

Worst of all, everywhere I went people were staring. Some guys came up to me congratulating me for 'banging' the hottest girl in school. Looks changed, smart and has 'banged' the hottest girl in school. Overnight, I became popular. Even though I tried to tell people that there had been no 'banging' they insisted not to listen to me. In frustration, I gave up. Even the popular girls who had never given me a second look were now trying to flirt with me.

She never showed up any time of the day and after serving my detention, I went home hoping she had called. The phone was not there. Rolling my eyes, I ransacked mother's room and found the phone underneath her bed. I went and connected it but there was no dial tune. I sighed; I knew she had cancelled our phone.

I changed, picked up my book bag and headed to the crown arcade. I arrived at the arcade and everything stopped. Everyone was looking at me and I rolled my eyes. Gossip sure does travel fast.

"Andrew, I need to use your phone quickly." I said.

"Oh, sure man. At the back." I dropped my pack on a nearby table and rushed to the back of the arcade, the storage room where the phone was at. I picked it up and dialed again. This time it said the line had been disconnected or something and I should try back again later.

I slammed the phone down on the cradle.

"Easy there tiger, my phone is innocent." Andrew said from where he was standing at the door. I sighed, glaring at the phone as if it was its fault that my life sucked.

"I'm guessing you could not reach Serena." I looked at him and something he saw on my face made him stop joking.

"What's wrong man? I've never seen you like this." He said, worry in his tone. I explained the dream, the whole day of not being able to reach her and Troy haven not seen her in the morning.

"Calm down. Give her some space. I bet she will turn up at your door step by the evening." He said. I wished I was that confident.

"Tell you what, why don't you sit down and have a bite to eat and tell me what happened yesterday." I looked at him as if he was an idiot.

"Nothing happened." I said through clench teeth.

"Come on now Darien. You vanish the whole day, locked up in a hotel with the girl of your dreams who is known as the sex goddess. I'm your best friend man, you should be able to tell me anything!" he said.

"And as my best friend, you should believe me when I tell you the truth. Nothing happened." He looked at me critically.

"Your serious." He said with wide eyes.

"Of course I'm serious!" I snapped. I sighed and shook my head. "I better get out of here. The atmosphere is not welcoming." I said and walked past him. When I reached my pack, I picked it up and hi tailed it out of the arcade. I went to the library where I hoped to have some peace and quiet to do my homework. I had quiet but not peace. Too many eyes and snickers were directed at me. I left to the park, no good.

Defeated, I made to come home but then an idea struck me. I was thinking to go to Serena's house but I changed my mind and instead went to house of thunder, Lita's club. I could tell Michelle who opened the door was shocked.

"Darien, what are you doing here?" she asked.

"Why, I can't come to eat?" I said dryly. She rolled her eyes.

"I know that's not why you came here." She said and I sighed.

"Have you or Lita seen Serena?" she blinked.

"Serena is in the US." She said.

"What!" I asked, my eyes wide.

"She didn't tell you?" Michelle asked. I shook my head no. "Oh"

"Michelle, who is it?" I heard Amara's voice ask.

"It's Darien." She answered. A few seconds later Amara joined us.

"Well Lover Boy, it's a surprise to see you here." She said.

"He thought that Serena might be here. He didn't know that she left this morning for the US." Michelle said.

"Sorry Lover Boy, but Serena is across the ocean. Some sort of emergency came up and she had to ditch." Amara said. I was hurt that she hadn't called me in the morning to tell me she was living.

"Mmm…why don't you come in for a few minutes Darien." Michelle said. I shook my head and turned to leave.

"No thanks." I said softly. I felt I needed to be alone to cry. Sorry Andrew but Serena would not be turning up anywhere at any time. Guess my mom had finally gotten her wish.

"Lita would be very sad if she knew you came by and did not try some of her famous food." Amara said. I stopped walking.

"Come now Darien, its ok. Serena will be back soon. And while she is away, you can use this opportunity to get to know us. You know, if we don't approve of you and Serena's relationship, it will not become official." Michelle said. I turned to her in confusion.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"She made a promise to us that if she were ever to be in a serious relationship, if we didn't approve, she would drop the guy." Amara said and Michelle nodded. I stared at the two of them, my mind rushing a mile per second. I didn't want Serena to drop me because he friends didn't approve! At the same time I wondered if we would ever have a relationship that would last. In the end, I just followed them into the house that was a cottage. Michelle lead me to the very back of the cottage which opened up into a terrace. I was shocked. That entire side of the cottage was a sliding glass which opened up onto a flower filled where chairs were position artistically so that people could sit and enjoy the peace of the outdoor. At the far right, the cottage also opened to the dance floor where chairs and tables were lined up and people were sitting and eating. There was this homey feel to the entire place that warmed me. I was surprised. There was one particular corner of the restaurant outside that was more private than all the others. It was closed off by a white gate and Michelle opened. It was a circular design that you could not see anything within from the outside the gate. And when the gate opened, it looked onto a small field of roses in all colors. At its center was a white bench with a big long pillow on it and a white table which I realized were made of marbles. The table was covered with a white lace table cloth and on it was a long book. Behind it stood a long and big metal that from the top to almost half of the metal staff was covered with a white rug. I realized it was an umbrella, though it was closed and I suspected it is use to keep shade or prevent rain from wetting the person under.

"This is Serena's private luncheon. You may stay here for as long as you want. I'm sure she won't mind." Michelle said as I looked around. It was very beautiful. I could see Serena sitting on the bench with her hair sprawled around her enjoying the son. But the image I had was not that of the energetic Serena, but the calm Serenity living in her.

"Look through the menu and see if there is anything in it you want. In the mean time, I will get Lita to bring you some of her specials she reserves for important customers." Michelle said and I nodded. She walked out and closed the door softly behind her. I walked to the table where the book which was actually the menu laid and picked it up before sitting down on the cushioned bench. I flipped through and saw that she labeled the foods by where they are from. French, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, African and Indian. I knew most of the foods in the Japanese and Chinese section and a little from the French and Italian but nothing from the African and Indian. The options to choose from were a lot so I decided to leave it up to Lita and Michelle to offer me whatever they thought was good.

While I waited for Michelle to return, I took out my assignments and began working on it. She eventually came back a tray of several foods.

"This is one special from every section of the menu. We wanted to see which is more to your taste. Afterwards, we will bring you more from the section you like and the choices you have made of your own." She said and I looked at her with large eyes.

"No, this will do just fine." I said. There was enough food on the tray to feed three people! What was she talking about adding more?

"Well, don't hesitate to ask for more." She said and left the garden. The foods were delicious. If it wasn't made by Lita, I probably would never had considered trying the African or Indian food but haven tried them, I knew I would always be ordering them whenever I came there to it. The African foods were more salty than the rest but it had this unique taste in it that you cannot identify. Worse, it leaves you feeling the need to eat more in other to identify it. If you a person without self control, I strongly discourage you from eating it because even when full, you might not be able to stop. And the Indian food, it was really good. I especially liked the chicken that was barbequed with spicy and interesting tasting spices.

Lita came in later to say hi and see if I enjoyed the meal which I praised her very much for. She also assured me that Serena hadn't meant to hurt me by not calling and that she probably felt it wouldn't be a good idea because of what happened yesterday. I thanked her for that. After she left, she and Michelle came in later to persist me to try more foods but if I did, I would not be able to move. They made me promise to come there as often as I can. Lita preferred I was there every day. I laughed at that, the distance from my house to there on foot was like an hour. She said she would send someone to come pick me up if ride was an issue. I told her I would think about it.

After they left me alone, I worked through all my homework until I was done and studied for other things. I repacked all my books and hanged the pack over one shoulder before grabbing the tray of food and heading back to the main area of the restaurant. When Michelle saw me carrying the tray, she quickly ran to me and took it away from me.

"You should have left it there, I would have picked it up later." She said.

"Nah, it's ok." I said as I followed her to the back where I said goodbye to Lita. She hugged me and once again told me I was welcomed to come back whenever I wanted. She seemed a bit sad I was leaving but I think she just felt pity for me since she knew I was worried about Serena. I bade farewell to Michelle, who also hugged me, and Amara who slapped my back in a friendly manner. Though truth be told, it hurt!

I left with a promise to return soon and headed for home. I arrived about 8 to find mother waiting by the dining table.

"Where have you been?" she asked, her eyes tight with suppressed anger.

"Out."

"I can see that." She said and I sighed.

"Why are you doing this mom?" I asked.

"Until you get it through your thick skull that that girl is not good for you! You will be in this house no later than 6 pm every night do you hear me?" I didn't reply. "Well do you?" she snapped.

"Enough mother!" I snapped back. She took a step back, her eyes wide. This was the first time I had ever raise my voice to my mother but I was too angry. A whole day without Serena, not knowing what happened to her, learning that she had left without a goodbye. As much as Lita had assured me that she would be back, until I saw her with my own eyes, I could not believe it. And Lord knew I missed her so much. Just one day and already I felt the unbearable distance and her absence left a whole in me. How could I survive however long she would be away?

"Did you just raise your voice at me?" Mother asked, her voice was deathly cold.

I sighed. "I'm sorry mom. Serena is not here, she had returned to the US." I said. There was few moment of silence.

"Good and God keep her there too!" Mother said. I looked at her with pain filled eyes and walked to my room. I came out only to take a shower and returned inside my room.

And this is how my life pretty much was from that moment on. Trying to defend Serena against my mother, explaining to people at school that I had not sexed Serena, avoiding all the advances of the girls, and even that of Mina and Rei who suddenly was interested in me because as she claimed 'I look like her dream man.' When I wore baggy clothes and showed my poverty, she didn't want me then, now that someone had helped cleaned me up, she was interested. It was that vainness that I didn't even want to be friends with her. I found myself spending more time with the trio, Lita, Michelle and Amara. If I wasn't with them, I was locked up in my room. Life was useless and with no way of communicating with Serena, I began to lose hope.

A day turned to two days, then three, a week, a week and a half, two, three and on. They were all the same to me. It was like one long intolerable day and again, the days flashed by like scenes in a movie only this time, I felt the passing of the days. A day felt like year or torture. And little by little, I lost interest in communicating with people. Other than the trio, I talked to no one else, not even my mother. I didn't even eat her foods anymore. Whether she was saddened or not, I didn't know and I certainly didn't care. If I have forever lost the one thing I care about because of her impulsive judgment, then I wanted her to know what it felt like to lose someone you love. If she was insisting on punishing me, why not experience it for herself and see how unbearable it was, after all, that's what she's always done.

Amy would drop in now and then but barely much was said. She would only pat my hand and say it will be alright. What would be I didn't know and didn't care much for. The only times I felt alive was when Amara was teaching me how to drive after she learned I didn't. You only know you are alive on the brink of death and I nearly killed us on several occasion. But by the third week, I could drive properly and on my own. I wasn't a pro yet, but you certainly couldn't tell I was a beginner. I planned to get my license exactly on my birthday.

The morning of my birthday arrived. I opened the door to go to school only to find Amy and Troy about to knock on my door.

"Happy Birthday!" Amy cheered as she handed me a bouquet of mixed flowers.

"Morning and Happy Birthday." Troy said as he handed me a small box.

"I hope you're not proposing to me." I said, looking at him funny. He blinked, not getting the joke but Amy laughed hysterically.

"Can I open it now?" I asked.

"Yeah, sure." He said as he placed a hand around Amy's waist. She didn't even blush. She had changed, gotten stronger and bolder while I was pinning away. I opened the box and found a gift card.

"How much?" I asked, looking at him.

"A thousand dollars." My jaw dropped, so did Amy's. I guess she hadn't known.

"Oh, is that too small?" he asked, looking puzzled. His head cocked to the right. It reminded me so much of Serena I had to hold back in tears. I shook my head.

"No, that's too much!" I said.

"Really? That's actually the lowest amount of a gift I've given anyone." He said. Amy and I stared at him. Had he been giving mansions to people?

"Well cheap or not, this is huge. Are you sure it's ok to give this amount to me?" I asked, trying to wrap my brain around it.

"Serena will not be too happy about it." He said.

"Oh?" I said. I didn't know how to feel about that.

"Because it's too cheap?" Amy asked. He nodded and I shook my head.

"No wonder she get cars and houses for presents." I said with a sigh.

"Really?" Amy asked me with wide eyes.

"Yeah." Troy confirmed. Amy and I looked at each other, this was too much.

"Well, shall we go?" Troy asked.

"Go where?" I asked.

"To school?" Amy said with confusion.

"Well excuse me, this is the first time you've come to pick me up!" I said in my defense.

"True. We will wait for you in the car." Troy said and the two walked away. I could not help but watch his hand on her waist as they disappeared around the corner to the front. I sighed. How I envied them. I turned around and locked the door.

Please God, easy my loneliness and grant me peace.

I left the door and went to the car. As soon as I entered, I wanted to get out. At the back seat where I was sitting, Mina and Rei sat there. They turned and grinned at me.

"Morning." Mina said chirpily.

"Morning hon. Happy Birthday." She said as she handed me a wrapped gift. I didn't want to take it but Amy turned around and gave me a look that said don't be rude. I sighed and took the gift.

"Thank you." I murmured grudgingly.

"If you go out with me, I will give you even more." She said.

"Nah, this is fine." I said and she rolled her eyes. I opened it to find a gold chain and watch. It looked expensive.

"Made by one of the world's best watch maker in the world!" she said.

"Sartor?" Troy asked, looking through the review mirror.

"Yup." She answered and he nodded in approval. I guess it really was expensive. But where would I wear something like this to?"

"Thank you." I said again to her as I rewrapped it and placed it in my bag.

"You're welcome."

"Here is mine." Mina said as she stretched a present to me. I really then wanted to roll my eyes but Mina was much better than Rei so I didn't hesitate. I took it and opened it; all the while she was staring at me with dancing eyes. When I opened it, I found a two way ticket for two people to Paris.

What the heck?

"Do you like it?" she asked. I forced a smile.

"Of course, thank you." She smiled. I placed that too in my bag. They began talking but my mind was mingling in my plans for this afternoon. Get my license.

We arrived in school and there was this big poster with a "HAPPY BIRTHDAY DARIEN HONEY" on it. I buried my head in my hand and groaned. God, what happened to the peace I prayed for? Or did I pray for it too late?

When we got out of the car, the cheerleaders rushed to the front of the poster, Rei and Mina went and joined them and they began a cheer for me. I was so embarrassed I wanted to die.

"Troy, get me out of here." I said, looking at him with wide eyes.

"It's alright man. Just take a deep breath and it will be over." He said as he placed an arm around me and Amy took my arm from the other side and they walked me toward the cheerleaders. The cheerleaders parted and we walked through, all the while I was praying for an earthquake, or some phenomenal to occur and either get rid of me or them. And that was how the rest of the day pretty much was.

God definitely hadn't granted me peace.

As soon as school was over, Amara appeared and I loved her for it. They were going to drag me off to some party which I had no interest in going. Ok so maybe it wasn't some party, it was my birthday party. After all the partying we've had throughout the day, I was too exhausted for more. I immediately sat in Amara's car, she took a look at the sign and she chuckled.

"Hard day?" she asked.

"Birthdays are a nightmare." I said and she laughed. We drove to the place where I had to take the test and suddenly I felt nervous.

"I promise you Darien that if you do not pass, I will personally show you hell." Amara said and I gulped. Oh she was serious and she meant her threat. I sighed.

"God, please, please, please, help me pass!" Several days previously, I had taken the written test and now I had to take the actual driving test.

To make a long story short….I PASSED! Amara actually hugged me too. Something she threatened me that if anyone was to hear of it, she will definitely send me to hell. I gulped and sealed my mouth. I will most definitely take it to my grave. I don't even remember what happened. All I knew was that we had returned from the driving, the tester had not said a single word. As soon as I parked, I turned to her and she smiled.

"Congratulation, you were splendid. You passed." She said. I wanted to jump up and down but I didn't and instead thanked her. We did some paper works, took my picture for an ID and gave me a temporary license.

"Time to celebrate!" Amara cheered and I groaned. She laughed. Maybe I should have put of till tomorrow to get my ID.

We arrived at the restaurant and as soon as we entered, a cheer of happy birthday went off. The entire inside was decorated in balloons, posters saying happy birthday, and anything that pretty much celebrates a birthday. And worst, my schoolmates were there. I looked at Amara and glared at her.

"I never said anything." She said. Lita appeared at my side and dragged me into the cheering crowd. After which the only thing I remembered was blowing the candle.

During the celebration, Lita pulled me aside and told me to follow her. I did. We sat inside Amara's car and she began to drive. There was this serious worried look on her face that made me worry.

"What is it?" I asked.

"I've got to get you out of here. Serena's father is heading to the restaurant right now." She said.

"I don't understand."

"From what Serena and Troy told me, he was enraged when he heard what went down between you and her and the mother. He was out of town then but he is back. I had hoped to hide this party from them but he knows and is heading toward the cottage right now."

"Yeah but why are we running away?" I asked, puzzled.

"Serena's father is very dangerous. When he is mad, he can kill without a second thought. Do you know how often he has abused Serena when he is angry? Serena doesn't want him to hurt you so I have to hide you. Unfortunately, he knows your house and ours. I'm going to leave you in a hotel at the other side of town. Amara will come and pick you up later and drive you out of town."

"Is this all necessary?" I asked. This was just too much. She turned sharply to me and the fear in her eyes scared me. I had never seen Lita afraid. I had seen her stand up against strong bullies at the restaurant, I even saw her in a fight where she beat up this big boxer guy. And she was afraid of that handsome man who wasn't that much taller than Troy? I guess size do really fool people. As soon as we arrived, she quickly got out and I followed her. We were at a Victorian Inn.

We didn't go into the office; instead we went around the building. This was the kind of building where the doors faced outside. We climbed the stairs to the second floor and entered through a door which Lita had to use a car for. Inside, I saw that there were rooms on the inside as well, including a game room, swimming pool, recreation room and big breakfast room. I followed her to through the hall way until we came into the last door down one hall.

Lita leaned against the door to catch her breath and opened the door.

"Get in." She whispered urgently and I did.

"I need to return to the restaurant or else they will know something is up. I should have had Michelle bring you here but she isn't as fast a driver as I am and I need Amara at the restaurant while I am not there to keep things under control." She said. My back was to the room as I was facing her at the door. The room was still dark.

"here." She said as she handed me a room key. "Do not leave the room for any reason until I have called you, do you hear me?" she said. I nodded but then realized she could not see.

"Yes." I said.

"Good. I'm sorry things have to get like things. Whenever people get involve with Serena, it never exactly goes well." She said and stood up straighter.

"Amara will be back for you as soon as possible. You can use the phone in here to call your mother….opps, no phone at home. Well, I will drop by her later to let her know what's happening. I will see you later. And remember what I said, do not in any case leave the room!" she said, baked out and pulled the door shut. I stood in darkness. From the little light that had fallen in from behind Lita, I had seen a light switch at the corner of my left eye. I moved slowly toward it, hoping not to crash into anything.

I switched it on but nothing happened. Great.

Then suddenly, small lights illuminated from all around me. I turned around and my eyes widened and my jaw dropped. Candle lights were lit on a table in the middle of the room and on the lamp post by the bed. But most shocking of all was the person on the bed dressed in a silky looking night robe sitting on the bed looking at me with a smile.

My eyes grew wide.

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	9. Chapter 9

**Love is Wicked: Eclipse**

**Chapter 9**

Previously...

I switched it on but nothing happened. Great.

Then suddenly, small lights illuminated from all around me. I turned around and my eyes widened and my jaw dropped. Candle lights were lit on a table in the middle of the room and on the lamp post by the bed. But most shocking of all was the person on the bed dressed in a silky looking night robe sitting on the bed looking at me with a smile.

My eyes grew wide.

* * *

"S..s..Serena?" I asked, not believing my eyes. I watched as she gracefully stood up from the bed, pushed her hair behind her ears and walked to the other side of the bed. I saw her pick up something and she began lightening candles. One after the other, candles all around the room came on. When she drew closer to me, she stopped and looked up at me. Then as if she wasn't tempting enough, she dropped the robe and stood before me utterly naked. She walked slowly and gracefully toward me and stopped an inch away.

"I promised you that when you turn eighteen, I will make love to you. But you changed the rules to until I believe in your love for me. That doesn't mean that my promise is canceled. But I accepted your rules. I may have been gone all this month, but it is the way you have been handling my absences that has convinced me to believe in your affections for me." She said as she touched my cheek and spread her fingers over it.

"And in accepting your feelings, I have found the courage to examine mine and found an answering call to yours. I have always been afraid of loving, even before the first guy I thought I loved. Yes, thought because until now, I have not known what real love is. The feelings that I have for him is only a shadow of what I feel for you. And while that scares me, it also excites me. I am not scared of the feelings; I am just scared of rejection. Simply put, I am head over heels in love with you and I want you just as much as you have made me believe you want me. If you will have me, I am all yours from this moment on. My body, soul, heart and mind. I'm ready to be claimed and branded by you. Make me yours today if you want me." she said. I didn't react. I was too shock, too surprised to do anything other than stare. She was back. Back and wanted us to be together. She wanted me as much as I wanted her! Little by little, everything she had said started to register in my mind. But I guess my silence was making her nervous because she searched my eyes with a worried look.

"Darien? Darien, do you want me?" That did it.

We were on the bed before I even knew what I was doing. This month without her had been so horrible that I felt drained emotionally, mentally and physically. I had been so lonely, so desperate and felt so abandoned and she was asking me if I wanted her? Did I have any choice in that anymore? I could not not want her even if I try. I can't unlove you, that song by Rogers (I think that's his name); I think finally made sense to me. There was no going back anymore.

I wasn't even aware when my clothes and boxers came off. I had fell on her like a savage man, tearing her mouth mine, biting, nipping, seeking and sucking on her flesh, desperation and an overwhelming sense to erase the loneliness of the past month drove my every action. Nothing I did was gently; the force that drove me was too strong. I pressed myself so hard against her that she should have gone as flat as a paper. I wanted to me one with her, our bodies to merge and become only one body. I left bite barks everywhere I kissed and I was sure I left hand prints on her breasts.

When I finally entered into her, everything calmed. As fevered with want and desire as I was, I hadn't expected to find my making love to her to be gentle at all. But when I made to enter her, I remembered that she was a virgin, so I stilled, looked at her to let her know what was about to happen. When she nodded, I slowly eased myself into her past her body's resistance. Her face scrunched up in pain and I wanted to yank myself out of her. But that would not help her or me. The first test was getting past the pain and I loathed myself for having to be the one to cause her such unbearable pain even though I would have no one else do it. I continued my gentle and slow passage into her even as she screamed softly and tears poured out of her eyes.

"Serena, I can't do this." I said, slowly drawing out of her. When I was out, she laid on the bed with her chest rising up and down heavily as if she had just ran a mile or two.

"No Darien, lets finish this. It won't be so hard after awhile. Besides, if we don't do this now and get it over with, the next time we try, the same thing will happen." She said and I knew she was right. I knew it but I couldn't accept it. God why? Why did women have to suffer like this before they can please themselves or their men?

"But…"

"It's alright. Please, continue." She said. I searched her eyes, there were pain and worry, but above all was determination. I sighed and tried again. Gently and slowly, I eased into her. Fortunately, the second time wasn't nearly as hard as the first though the pain must have still been the same since her face tightened. I knew she was trying not to cry. I wanted to turn away but I couldn't. Even in pain, she was beautiful. And while I couldn't do anything to ease her pain, if I had turned my eyes away, I would have abandoned her to the pain I was inflicting on her. So I watched her with each in and out and eventually the pain receded and she became active in it. When I was sure it was alright, I began to move faster in her. Faster, faster and faster until she was even urging me on. We had gotten past the pain; everything afterwards was pleasure and moaning that drove us on from one horizon to another. From one climax to another.

After days of longing, hoping, sighing, praying, searching, and wishing, we were finally one. One in body, mind, heart and soul and I couldn't be more content. It was official now, mine. I didn't own her as a slave, but she was mine forever as my partner. Well at least I hope it would be forever and that she wouldn't get bored with me. At the moment, all seemed well. I had forgotten the bigger problem that was my mom. All I could see, all I could think about, all I wanted to see, think and dream about was the beautiful, misunderstood woman beneath me whom I had just surrendered my everything to. Yes, there were still many challenges ahead of us, but this was the first step into overcoming all of them. I knew it, I felt it and this time I felt ready to face through it if she were by my side. How happy I felt I could not describe in words. The joy of knowing the person you love with every fiber of your being loved you back was nothing short of a miracle.

With our thirsts quench and desires dulled and our bodies exhausted, we slumped together on the bed and held each other. A month away had not changed her alabaster skin or its smooth and silky texture as it had not changed my feelings for her. On second thought it had changed my feelings, where once I could have hoped to be without her no matter the pain it would cause me, now there was absolutely no choice but to be with her. Not because she had just given me her most precious possession, her virginity, but because she had proven to me that I need her. I felt the need, I knew it strength and I knew I had no strength of my own that could rival that dominant emotional and physical need I felt for her. I had crossed the line, it was too little too late to turn back now. Unsurprisingly, I didn't want to turn back. I looked at her face, ran my fingers down her cheek, over her mouth and down her breasts. This beautiful, gorgeous and sexy woman who was the apple of every man's eyes loved me. Me! A nobody! I was so happy; in fact I was too happy.

We held each other for a long time in silence. Wanting to hear her voice, I straddled her and cupped her face with both hands as I leaned my face closer to hers.

"I missed you so much it drove me insane." I said as I began kissing around her neck.

"I'm sorry. I hadn't meant not to tell you but I left early in the morning and I didn't want to wake your mother by calling. Then when I later tried to call back, your phone was off. Which I later learned was because your mother caught it off. Not being able to communicate with you was unbearable and the distance made it worse."

I thought I was the only one who had suffered from the distance but I hadn't been the only one. She had suffered too; she had missed me and had lived through the same loneliness as me. Our feelings were mutual. I had asked God for peace and ease of loneliness. When I had still felt lonely throughout the school day and I had not been given the peace I wanted by the being left alone, I thought God had not heard my prayer. But he had heard and delivered both to me in the best way I could not have expected.

This was the best birthday present ever!

"Happy birthday Darien." She said as if on cue. I stared into her eyes, searching, finding and I knew I was finally home. I leaned down and said "thank you" against her lips before kissing her. And as the kiss stretched one, her body gently moving against me, our desires arouse again and with her consent, we buried ourselves into each other, laying our claim and branding our bodies as nobody else's but our own. God, I loved this woman. I loved so much, so much that I would follow her through the ends of the earth, through hell or heaven. And I prayed that our final destination if heaven really existed would be there, in that glorious place, our happiness forever lasting, forever immortalized.

I had found it. At age eighteen, I knew I have found that which every soul and heart, conscious or unconsciously, sought. That possibility, that possession, that very elusive star cross eternal love that we know as soul mates. I had found my soul mate.

At age eighteen, I already knew my future and she was lying right beneath me.

It truly was a most happy birthday!

Around nine we were up, showered and dressed. And by nine thirty we had finished eat. I didn't want to go home but Serena didn't want to take the risk of infuriating my mother anymore claiming that now that she was set on being with me, it was best to make peace with my mother and that she didn't want me to ever have to make the choice of her or my mother. I was grateful for her consideration but I wanted to spend more time with her, I wasn't ready to be parted from her. But Serena would always be Serena, whenever she decides on something, nothing can change he mind.

So we drove to my house.

Luckily, when we arrived, mom wasn't home so I dragged Serena in to talk to me for a while. After getting us both a glass of water which we sat on the table stand in the circle of the living room couches, he pulled her onto my lap on the long couch. We made out first but I wanted to feel myself inside of her again. That incredible feeling I had felt with my flesh inside of her was addicting. I had felt truly one with her and I wanted to feel it again. She was not about to take off her clothes again but she compromised when I sat on the dining table chair and she sat atop of me. Since she was wearing a tight, mini skirt with a zipper at the front, all she had to do was pull it up. I left my pants on but loosened my groin out through the zipper of my pants. She stood facing me; her legs spread on either side of the chair and slowly sank down on me and me into her. I felt a sigh from every part of me as if it was a burning day outside I had just entered I very air conditioned building that cooled me down automatically. I pushed her lacy blouse up and sucked and licked on her nipples. She moved up and down on me with my hands at her waist and just like that, we made love four like the fifth time with the hours I had reunited with her in the hotel.

Eventually our legs began cramping but by then we were well satisfied. We adjusted our clothing and I sprayed some air refreshment to hide any lingering scent of sex. We went back to the long chair and she laid out on it. Her feet though, she kept off the couch respectfully but I took a hold of them and brought it firmly on the couch. It was a leather couch; it wasn't going to get dirty. Besides, her feet were clean, very clean. I could kiss it all night long. I lay behind her on the couch though she warned me to move away or my mother wouldn't be happy if she came to see such a scene. I promised her I would move before mother came.

As we laid there with my arms wrapped around her, she told me of the reason she had to suddenly go back to the US. Her grandmother was at the brink of losing her business, which was the clothing line called Dreams of Moonlight and since she was the one who often handled all her grandmothers major problems, naturally her grandmother had called her. She hadn't gone into specifics but it was clear she had had a very busy month tracking down the person cheating her grandmother and had them arrested, trialed and imprisoned all within the month. Then did some things to get her grandmothers business back under control and her finance back on track.

"But not everything is solid yet. I will be working a lot these coming days to make sure not even a single cent has been taken off the record." She said.

After which she asked I give her full detail of how my month had gone, softly rubbing my hands when I expressed my loneliness and fear when she wasn't here and turning her head to kiss me softly as if it could make up for a month of bereavements. It didn't fully make up for it but it was a start. I knew a few more weeks in her presence and I would not look back on the past month with such pain and fear of it happening again.

"I love you." She said after the kiss and I smiled at her, she did and I knew it. It was plain in her eyes and in her voice and through her body as we had made love. She loved me; I believed it and I knew I was lucky for it. Then she confessed that the story about her father coming to town to kick my ass was a fab that they made up to get me to the hotel without me suspecting that I was secretly being ushered to meet my destiny. Victorian Inn was now added to my personal favorite list.

Eventually we ran out of things to say though she confide in me a little more of herself such as her dreams to inherit her grandmothers business, her fear of her pending doom if she didn't get a heart transplant soon and the bigger fear of losing herself if someone else's heart was that which lived it her.

"Would I still love you? Even if the heart is not mine?" she asked, looking at me, seeking a reassuring answer that I did not have. I wish I knew what to say. At that moment I realized just how childish I was, here my girl was looking for some sort of comfort and there was nothing I could say to calm her fears. Instead I did all I could do, kiss her, tell her how much I loved her and that even if the new heart she would get did not love me from the beginning, I would win her love back. Then I pressed lips at the crock of her neck, kissing, licking and biting and she sighed and moaned in pleasure.

And as I held her, peace overcame the both of us and we nodded off.

You heard of rude awakenings right? Good cause that's exactly what happened.

Water drenched us. Our eyes flew open immediately and we looked up to see my mom standing there with a look of contempt, our two glasses of water empty.

"Mom!" I said indignantly.

"Get the hell out of my house!" she hissed at Serena.

"Enough with this nonsense mom!" I said as I stood up between her and Serena.

"How dare you bring this slut into MY house and cuddle with her on MY sofa! I thought I raised you better than that!" she screamed in my face.

"And I thought you had more manners than that!" I screamed back at her. She lifted her hand as she made to slap me. If this had been the old me, I would have just stood there and let her slap me but I was changed. I was no longer that little boy who had no choice in what to do with his life. I was growing up and she was going to have to accept it and let me make my own decisions and mistakes. I caught her hand in a vice grip, her eyes wide with astonishment, anger and hurt.

"You dare?" she hissed.

"Enough mother." I said as calmly as I could but hell, she was pissing me off. She yanked her hand out of mine. She turned her back and went to the kitchen. I sighed and turned back to Serena who was recovering from her shock. I knelt in front of her and took her face in my hands.

"I am so sorry. I didn't know she would go this far." I said softly, feeling very ashamed of my mother. This was the woman who had brought me up teaching me that I had to be hospitable to any guest in my house even if I didn't like them? Serena looked down into my eyes, smiled softly and ran her fingers through my wet hair.

"It's alright. I'm sure if we sat and talked properly, she will come to an understa…" she never finished her sentence as a river of water poured down on her from above. We both looked up and saw my mother standing there with a big empty bucket, smirking. I was about to do something very foolish but the temperature of the water suddenly hit me and I felt just how hot it was. I looked at Serena as she had her face in her hands, she was all red! That water was damn hot!

"Mother, I have had enough of this. What the hell is your…" I felt Serena's had on my arm and I turned back to her immediately. She stood up and wiped the water that was dripping onto her face from her hair.

"It's alright. I will see you later." She said, leaned down and softly kissed me on my lips. she began walking toward the door and bent to pick up her bag she had left by the foot of the kitchen table. I followed her, quickly opening the door for her. Her skin I could see were swelling up and she was drench from head to toe. I followed her silently to the passenger side of the door. As she opened it, I stood back. I was suddenly afraid. She tossed her bag in and walked up to me and just embraced me. I held her, tears softly falling down my face.

Why was this happening? I had watched, read, and heard lots of stories about families not liking the chosen lover of the man or woman and how far the family often went to part them. I had never imagined that I would be at the receiving end of such circumstances or that Serena would be so rudely treated because of me.

"I'm sorry." I whispered as I held her tightly to me. We just hugged like that for a while before she stepped back.

"If she thinks melting off my skin with hot water is going to prevent me from being with you, then you can be sure that she will not succeed." She said, looking up at me with a smile. How could she be so strong? How?

She touched my cheek, leaned up as I met her half way in a searing kiss that I hoped convey all my apologies for my mother and pain at seeing her being hurt like she was. When we parted, she leaned up more and kissed my forehead.

"It will be alright. Just hand on strong." She said. I took her hand and walked her to the two or three steps to her car. She sat in, stared up at me for a moment as I stared down at her. She smiled as she was about to close the door, I held the gate, leaned down and quickly kissed her.

"I love you. With every fiber of my being, I am in love with you." She smiled wildly and kissed me again.

"I know." She said. I leaned back and watched as she closed the car door and maneuvered onto the street. Before she sped off, she waved a goodbye at me and I watched her go. The distance between her and I grew and ever smaller she got, until all together she vanished at the bend of the traffic light.

Angrily I stomped back into the house and pushed the door of my mom's room open.

"What the hell was that all about!" I demanded. She looked up from the bed she was sitting on with one raised brow.

"I just got rid of a pest." She said calmly as if Serena was an unwanted fly buzzing around and annoying us. I was pissed.

"I never took you for such a cold hearted monster!" I said to her. She looked straight at me for a minute, her mother set in a straight line. Then she rose up and pointed out the door.

"Get the hell out of my room. The next time I see that girl anywhere in or near my house, she will have more than raw skin to deal with. This is MY house and if you feel you are at the age of where I have no right to tell you what to do, go get a job and pack out. Now get out!" I stared at her, shook my head and followed her order. But I stopped at the door and turned my head back to her with a sad look on my face.

"I was young but I was not blind. It was this same attitude that drove father away. And if I leave, you will have no one to blame but yourself. You raised me to become a doctor so I can take care of you. You didn't do it purely for me. Every action of yours has purely been in your own self interest." I said and walked out, slamming the door behind me.

In my room, I, Darien Endymion Shields, eighteen years old today, lay on my bed and cried. Call me a wimp but if you haven't experienced it for yourself, you will not understand how truly painful it is to watch the person you love so much be treated in such a shitty manner because of you.

That night, I tossed and turned, finding sleep impossible and not having a phone to call Serena, I took out my journal and began to write. Everything that had happened since I first met Serena. And as I wrote down everything, things became clearer and much more focus. I saw the changes that had come on Serena, changes caused by me. Because she loved me, she was willing to make compromises. Haven realized this, I knew that I too had to find the strength somewhere within me to stand up for her, to protect her, to be strong for her as she had been for me tonight. I loved her and nobody was going to keep us apart!

Not even a psychopathic mother!

At exactly seven thirty, Serena was at my door knocking. I was so overwhelmed to see her that I nearly knocked her over. I had debated walking to school but something told me to stay. And I'm glad I had listened. She gave me a very juicy morning kiss that immediately whipped away the nightmares of the previous night.

I was already ready to go so I grabbed my back pack and followed her into that silver car she would have left for me. As we sat in the car ready to take off, she pulled two cell phones from her purse, both identical but one looked way too brand new. She stretched the new looking one at me.

"Here." She said. I blinked at her as I took it.

"What…" I began but she cut in.

"It is such an inconvenience not being able to talk to you on the phone. Since you mom has cancelled the house phone, I figured you either get a cell phone or I would go mad having to wait to see you in order to talk to you. Here." She said, stretching out her hand again. I opened my hands and a key on a keychain that had her picture on that clear plastic square thing. In the picture, she was blowing a kiss.

"Serena, is this what I think it is?" I asked, my eyes wide.

"I will be very busy for a while and won't be able to come see you and frequently as I want. This way, you can come see me if I can't come see you." She said as if this was normal.

"I can just take a taxi you know." I said dryly. This was too much. A cell phone, now a car? What next? A house?

"Just save the taxi money for gas." She said as she started driving.

"Serena, this is all too much." And it was. She didn't say anything for a minute and when I looked at her when we stopped at the traffic light, she looked sad.

"What's wrong?" she looked up at me, tears wavering in her eyes.

"I just love you so much. Is it too much to give you gifts that will help our relationship in times of trouble?" she asked softly, looking at me. I felt like an ass. Here my beautiful girlfriend was going out of her way to make things work between us despite what my mother had done to her and I was turning her gift down for such unimportant reasons.

"I'm so sorry. I accept your gifts, thank you!" I said enthusiastically, hoping that would cheer her up.

"Promise you won't return them?" she asked.

"Not even if you want them back!" she just looked at me. "I promise." I said. Knowing that was what she wanted to hear.

She smirked.

"That was easy." She said and I realized I had been made a fool off….again.

"Serena!" I said indignantly and she laughed.

"You're stubborn so at times I've got to play a little dirty!" she said in her defense.

"Hmph!" I said as I turned away. I wasn't really mad; I just wanted to worry her a bit. She touched my cheek and my face turned to her automatically, I didn't even think about it. She leaned a little up a softly kissed my lips. A horn blew from behind us and Serena strengthened back up again. The light was now on green. She winked at me and the plan to make her worry went down the drain. I was too much of a sucker.

A month of being away without being there to defend her honor to that stupid rumor of me 'banging' her (though now that was true) had Serena in a think crowd being questioned endlessly. At first it had shocked people that she was back and shocked them even more as they saw how close we kept together and how our hands were always interlaced. Troy and Amy had been the first to come congratulate us on finally being an item though Serena's sisters plain out ignored us as if we were that easy not to be noticed. Mina also came to wish us happy and eventually dragged Rei over who grudgingly admitted that we looked good together. I thanked and smiled sincerely at her and she flushed. This was the first time I hadn't made it plain that she was a nuisance. After that she, Mina, Amy and Rei were pretty much together the whole time when she wasn't with me. Troy and I got to hang out together alone too without Amy's constant presence. At first I thought just the two of us would be awkward but it really wasn't at all. He gave me the speech any brother would give a new boyfriend about hurting their sister, of course with Troy, I knew he wasn't joking and was very capable of delivering every subtle threat that came with the warning.

At lunch there was a crowd of people over at our table, popular or nerd, it didn't matter. It was almost as if unknowingly, the barrier of status had collapsed. Everybody was far too interested in me and Serena's affairs that they didn't take into account who sat or stood by them. Over the month I had broken from the nerd status with my changed looks as well as Amy, some of the other nerds finally found the courage to break free from the dress codes that designated them as nerd and were now slowly but surely moving into the notice of those who once thought them the unfortunate humans. Of course, not all succeeded but I was glad to see that they were trying to change what people assumed of them. I was happy about that.

Not much class time was spent on studying as even the teachers were interested in delving into our personal lives and since we had a football game the night, we had a half day and an assembly from eleven to twelve when school ended. I suddenly had an idea. I had never introduced Serena formerly to Andrew so I wanted to take her there to meet him and seeing as we still had a large number of crowds following us instead heading home, I thought to bring the along with me. It would definitely boost Andrew up on sales today and hopefully everyday afterward.

"Everyone, do you know the Crown Arcade on the other side of town? The one run by Andrew? Well do or don't that's where we're heading. Hope to see you there!" I said as I grabbed Serena's hand and maneuvered her to her car. I opened the front passenger side door for her as she was glancing at me oddly. She didn't say anything, instead went in and sat down. I walked to the driver's side and sat.

"What gives?" she asked.

"I want to introduce you to one of my very best friends. He is as much of importance to me as Amy, if not more." I said, smiling at her brightly. She returned my smile, but timidly.

"And the crowd?" she asked.

"My friend, Andrew, is the sole heir to inheriting the crowd. He works there every single minute he is out of school. Hopefully he is there now. I just want to give him some business for today." I explained.

"Ah." She said with a nod. I reverse and started off. "Amara said you picked up driving quickly."

"Yeah, it surprised me too." I said, remembering how pissed off Amara was when she thought I had lied to her that I couldn't drive.

"You're one of those people." Serena said.

"Those people?" I asked, casting her a glance from the corner of my eye. She sat facing forward with a thoughtful look on her face.

"Yes, people who can learn just by watching. And they can do it almost as if they had done it before even though all they did was watch. Such people are often called protégées I think." She said.

"Oh." I hadn't ever thought of that but as she said it, I realized that it was true. I did learn best by seeing. Just like soccer when I was in high school. I had never played it before but I spent an afternoon watching the team practice and the next day at gym, I was playing well enough that the teacher begged me to join the team. I was so happy and I wanted to so badly but mother wouldn't have it. She thought it would distract me from my studies. Nothing I or the coach said shifted her resolve.

"It's for your own good." She had said. Just like every other thing I had wanted to do but couldn't because it would 'distract me from my studying' and how not doing it was for 'my own good.' Thinking about it now, I realized how very lousy and lonely my childhood had been. All I knew were my books but books never listened. They only tell you things. Expecting you to accept it for whatever truth it believes it hold. They could not communicate as people could, back to back. Instead, it just stated it opinions, listening to one else's, it resolve to stay the same unchanged. Like my mother.

I felt a soft, cold touch on my cheek and I looked to my right to see Serena watching me with a worried expression.

"What's wrong?" she asked, her voice so soft and so worried. I shook my head; I should stop feeling pity for myself. The past was the past, gone. There was no point dragging it with me everywhere I went.

"Sorry, I was just caught up in the past." I said. For a while she never said anything then took a big sigh as if about to ask me something she wasn't sure it was a good idea to ask.

"When I asked you before where was your father…um…you told me he left. Why?" she asked now. I didn't answer. I didn't know how to or that I was afraid to I'm not sure.

"Darien please, I've told you about my past the least you can do is return the courtesy." She said and still I didn't say anything. We arrived at the arcade in silence and we stepped out. As we were walking inside, I saw that cars from my school were also parking.

As soon as we were inside the air conditioned room, all activities stopped as they took in Serena, dressed in black leggings, sandals and a big light shirt with a belt at the stomach. She was decently dressed but that did nothing in hiding her curves nor did it take away from her beauty. Though she was still a bit red from yesterday. She had told me her body was very sensitive to the temperatures and it would take about two to three days for her alabaster skin to resurface. I walked closely behind her, my hand at her waist as a sign that she was already taken as the guys' eyes trailed her every moment. Dogs! I thought but then remembered I had been no different the first time I had seen her.

"Andrew." I called out, waving to him as he stood behind the counter with his jaw on the floor. He snapped out of his incredulous look and rushed over to us.

"Serena meet Andrew. Andrew this is Serena, my girlfriend." I said, the word girlfriend coming out slowly and softly. I realized that I had claimed her in heart, body, soul and mind but this was the first time I was publicly claiming her. I was testing the word girlfriend, finding it realism but it didn't fit. For some reason I felt calling her girlfriend was a cheap interpretation of what we really had going on. I knew boyfriends and girlfriends do in fact have sex, they do everything Serena and I do but somehow, it still didn't match us. The feelings, the absolute necessity, the surety, no….girlfriend wasn't the right description. And soul mate was a bit too cheesy. It's ok to think that to myself but said out loud just sounded too cliché.

In the end, Andrew didn't give me the chance to change the world.

"Pleased to officially meet you Serena. Darien never shuts up about you!" He said, his eyes bright as I glared at him.

"Pleased to meet you as well. I was beginning to worry that Amy was his only friend." She replied.

"Not exactly. We have other friends too but we all go to separate schools." Amy said as she and Troy came up beside us.

"Oh." She said simply.

"Well come, come sit." Andrew said as he led us to a seat by a window. The seats were made for two people sitting side by side, in front of the bench like chair with the back like a couch, a table sat in the middle and another seat sat on the other side of the table facing us. That seat was no occupied by Troy and Amy. While Serena sat by the window on our side, Troy sat by the window on theirs.

"Here is the menu, enjoy." He said, looking up at the crowd at the door.

"What the hell?" he asked.

"I thought to bring in customers for you." He looked at as, then at the crowd that was staring at us and grinned largely.

"I owe ya." He said

"And I will collect the debt, you can count on it." I replied as he walked of, laughing and greeting the customers and leading them to various places they could all sit. Soon noise picked up, chatting exploded in peals of laughter and giggles. But each time I looked, at least five eyes were on us. I eyes I could not stand were the guys whose sole purpose were to undress Serena with their heated gazes. Whenever I noticed them staring, I would glare but there were some impudent enough to smirk.

"You're going to have to get used to this kind of behavior from people as long as you are with me." Serena said. I turned my gaze at her, then at Troy who shrugged and Amy who tactlessly looked away. I rolled my eyes.

"It's just annoying." I said.

"It is but it isn't going to stop just because you find it annoying." She said as she opened the menu. I was getting irritated; shouldn't she be pissed about this too? Or did she just enjoy the attention?

"Whether I enjoy the attention or not is not the problem. If I were to get pissed off every time someone looked, I will never know how to smile. You learn to see past the look and just let it go. Besides, my policy is look all you want, just don't be stupid enough to touch. That's when it gets bloody." She said, reading through the menu. It's a continues surprise how she is always able to guess what I was thinking. Was I just that visible?

She looked up from reading the menu and rolled her eyes at me. Andrew popped up.

"So, have you decided what to order? It's on the house." He said. Serena turned to him with a smile and a look in his eyes shifted. Even he was affected by her!

"Your menu lives little room in my head that I want to try everything on it so why don't you serve us something you think we will really like? Of course, by we, I mean me. Unless anyone is of the same mind as me." she said looking from me to Amy and to Troy. Troy nodded his head.

"I will have whatever you wish to introduce as to." He said. Andrew nodded then looked at me and Amy.

"I will have the special usual. I think you should bring that too to Serena and Troy, they will like it." Amy said and Andrew turned to me.

"The usual plus fries and a chocolate milkshake." I said.

"Got a sweet tooth today?" Andrew teased.

"I just want something wet and cold and sticky to throw at you." I said and his eyes grew big in a playfully shocked way.

"Oh dear, that wouldn't go so well now would it. It might end up being a milkshake battle and I thought we grew out of that." He said with a sigh and his hand on his chest.

"You're never too old to have some fun." Serena said, smiling. Andrew smiled at her.

"I think I'm going to like you." He said.

"I know I already like you. Anyone who offers me free food is a favorite on my list." She replied and he laughed as he walked away. She turned back to the menu but stopped and looked up as Troy stared at her with a baffled expression.

"What?" she asked. He shook his head.

"Nothing" he answered.

"Nothing wouldn't make you look at me as if I have done the most outrageous thing in the world." Serena replied.

"It's nothing really." He said. We all stared at him and he realized that he had to fess up. "I'm just still amaze by your ability to befriend people so easy. You've always been good at that from as far back as I can remember." He finally fessed up.

Serena shrugged as if it was no big deal.

"Smile and people feel easy, don't smile and they feel uneasy. It's that simple. A girl once told me that when black people's hairs are straight, white folks are relaxed. If their hairs are nappy, white folks are unease. She is black by the way and not at all racist. She was just telling me her observation. It's good to be unique and stand out, but know when to blend in." Serena said and I wondered how the heck the analogy she had used of the black and white fit anywhere in answering Troy's comments. I guess I was the only one of that assessment because Amy and Troy nodded as if they understood.

"Oh yeah, are you guys going to the concert?" Amy asked and we all looked at her.

"What concert baby?" Troy asked and I wondered where he'd learned that term from. I wasn't trying to be cynical but Troy appeared to be the kind of person who should be saying 'sweetheart' 'dear' or even 'honey' than 'baby' or any variations of it.

"The three lights of course!" Amy said enthusiastically. She had always been a fan of the lights, especially when three years ago they had performed here. She had signed up to help set things up for them so she had had a personal one on one conversation with Yaten or Taiki, I'm not exactly sure what name went with what face, and she was hooked on. Apparently, the guy had a soft spot for books which had won him a place in Amy's heart forever apparently.

"You know I'm there." Molly answered as she and Melvin came up behind Amy. Melvin's eyes were all for Serena. Molly finally looked around, finding Serena and Troy of some interest.

"Hello." She said.

"Serena, Troy, I want you to meet Molly Baker and Melvin Smith." I introduced.

"Hello" Serena said.

"Hello." Troy said.

"Hi." Molly said. When nothing came from Melvin, we all looked at him as all he could do was stand there and stare at Serena as if she was an apparition. Molly smacked him from the back. He yelped and glared at her.

"That hurts!" he said.

"Then stop ogling at her!" Molly snapped.

"I am not! I just feel I've met her before!" he said defensively. Molly rolled her eyes.

"No duh, at Darien's house? Last month?" Molly said, her words clipped with annoyance.

"No not there." he placed his hand on the side of his head, a sign that always said he was looking through memories that were very far back. Suddenly his eyes brightened and he smiled.

"Yes! I remember you now! Diamonds girlfriend!" he screamed aloud. Too loudly because the arcade suddenly went silent as all attention turn on our table. Serena blinked and started laughing.

"Oh that. That was in kindergarten." She said with a giggle. Melvin smiled hugely as if he had just solved the world largest puzzle or many of the unfathomable answers we chug off because there are no answers to them.

"I knew I recognized you from somewhere though your hair was golden then if I'm mistaken."

"Your right. It was died then so that people wouldn't make fun of me for having 'old people's' hair at my age. You know how kids are, they tease mercilessly." She said. Melvin nodded as if he knew it all so well.

"Well it's good to see you again; I think I remember you now." Serena said.

"I wish you didn't." Melvin said with a groan and Serena laughed.

"Aww, don't worry. I thought you were cute." She said. He blinked at that and smiled largely. We just watched the two of them smiling at each other and my irritation rose up again. What memories did Melvin share with MY woman that I didn't know about? And who was this Diamond guy? And at kindergarten she had a boyfriend? Molly grabbed Melvin's hand and pulled her to the seat behind us.

"What the hell was that all about?" She hissed at him. If she was trying to be quiet, she was failing miserably.

"Was he not the guy who confessed his feelings to you in kindergarten and had diamond beat him up?" Troy asked. Serena nodded.

"What? You confessed to her?" Molly hissed again. Poor Melvin, Molly's anger was legendary.

"So..." I began as casually as possible. "Who exactly is Diamond?"

"My kindergarten sweetheart." She answered simply. Well no duh. Exactly what was it I was trying to get out of her?

"Anyway Amy, what were you saying about the Lights?" Serena asked.

"They will be performing here in two weeks! I need to go get my tickets!" Amy said, again with the enthusiasm.

"I see. I do enjoy the lights songs too. Tell you what, don't get any tickets because by now the seat you will have will probably be at the very back roll. Let me handle getting us a place at the front roll ok?" Serena said and Amy's eyes widened.

"You can do that?" Amy asked.

"Let's just say that Seiya owes me a favor." She said simply. Which got me thinking what kind of 'favors' he owed her. I know, I know, I sound like a jealous boyfriend and that I'm acting like a child but things were starting to bother me. First she has this kindergarten sweetheart she won't tell me about and now some celebrity owed her a favor? Do celebrities just owe people favors? Granted Serena wasn't exactly the normal person with her mega rich back ground, but still, even Rei can't claim to being owed a favor by a celebrity as big as Seiya!

"So, what are we talking about?" Andrew asked as he appeared with a tray of foods and a waitress behind her holding another tray of food. He set the food down and placed every body's orders in front of him or her. Taking the foods from the waitress's plate to complete everything.

"Just talking about the Lights coming back to town." Amy answered.

"Ahhh. Hopefully I will get to meet that cute manager of theirs." Andrew said.

"Still has the hots for her." I asked.

"I will have you know that we've been keeping in contact since she left!" he said and Amy and I looked at him.

"Really!" Amy and I asked at the same time. He nodded.

"Not on the phone but through emailing." He said.

"Wow." Amy said.

"Good for you man." I said.

"Problem is, she still insists on just being friends." Andrew confessed.

"Are you talking about Beryl?" we all looked at Serena.

"Yeah, do you know her?" Andrew asked. She blinked and a worried look covered her face. She looked at Troy and he sighed.

"You do know that she is married right?" Troy said what was probably going through Serena's head. We all looked at him in shock.

"Are you serious?" Andrew asked, his voice breaking. I felt for him. Serena sighed.

"Yes." But there was something in her voice that made me wonder if hated Beryl or something. "The person you most likely have been talking to is Rita, Beryl's sister. She filled in for Beryl after Beryl got married. She has a one and a half year old son now and is expecting. Rita probably told you that you guys have to be friends for her sister's sake.

"Oh." Andrew said and looked away. Poor guy. That's rough.

"Truth be told, I'm glad you and her aren't ever going to be together." Serena said and we looked at her.

"Why is that?" Andrew asked.

"I'm sorry to say this but she was a bitch. A real hard core open your legs for anyone whore. It's hard to believe that she and Rita are related. Rita is the total opposite of her. Achievements earned through hard work instead of sleeping with people to get what she wants. She is a hard worker, a sweetheart, a romantic and a really kind person. If you are going to pursue anyone, pursue Rita. She might not be much in a way of a challenge to win her heart, but she would most definitely make you happy." Serena said. Troy nodded.

"And Rita is prettier than Beryl too." Troy added.

"Not much in the way of access breasts or butt like Beryl but she is definitely more prettier. And very innocent. She is the kind you can see following her husband through thick and thin." Serena added. There was silence after a while then Serena picked up her fork as she began to eat the Mushrooms filled gravy with mash potatoes. On a different plate was a mushroom curry that would be filled into the breads by it side.

I too began eating my mushroom burger and fries. The crown was famous for its delicate mushroom delicacies. Once you've tasted it, you keep coming back for more.

"Oh." Serena said as she looked up at Andrew with a wide grin. "This is excellent!" she praised sincerely. It broke Andrews's train of thoughts and sad contemplation and brought a smile on his face.

"Thank you!" he said.

"This is really good." Troy also commented.

"Am I to assume I have regular customers?" he asked, looking from Troy to Serena. The siblings looked at each other, then turned to Andrew with a smile and a nod of their heads.

"Excellent!" Andrew said as if he had just saved a soul from going to hell.

"With a food like this, even Terence with his cold heart will warm up." Serena said.

"Come now, he's not that bad." Troy said.

"Not that bad?" Serena snorted. "Yeah right."

"Who is Terence?" Andrew asked.

"Their older brother." Amy answered.

"Oh, the silver haired piano man?" I asked and she nodded.

"Yup, one and the same." Serena said.

"What is the other one's name?" I asked.

"Travis." Troy answered.

"Noticed the T's and the S's? Terragon, my father, Terence, Travis and Troy. Then for the females there are Selenity, Selene, Selena and me, Serena or Serenity. S and T's." she said rolling her eyes.

"It was an idea mother had as a young woman to have all the girls with their names beginning with S, after her and the men T after father." Troy explained. While that made sense, it did not explain why Serena was an S too. She had a different mother.

"I was named after my mother." She said.

"Oh." I said. It made sense. Her mother and aunt were twins so it made sense their names were so close. Selenity and Serenity. No wonder the twins were Selene and Selena. What a thoughtful family unity.

Andrew raised his brow at the discussion as we had long lost him but I shook my head. I would explain to him later.

"Well then, enjoy your meals as I serve other customers." He said and walked away.

It was around two when we finally decided we had had enough of the crown for the day and Serena said she needed to return home to do her grandmother's business. I really didn't want to have her part from me but she insisted it had to be done as soon as possible or things could go bad. Deciding to drop being selfish, we drove to her house. Amy and Troy had split, saying they had something to do and Molly and Melvin had stayed at the arcade, still arguing. In the car, she was silent and I remembered this silence as haven brought on by my refusal to answer her question about my father.

I thought about how I had felt when she wouldn't reveal any more details about who diamond was. Betrayed, as if she didn't want to share her past with me. That she felt to keep something of hers a secret from me. It hurt and thinking about it, I realized how she must have felt too when I refused to share with her my past. Truth be told, she had opened up to me almost about her entire past. She knew nothing of me save the man she saw before her and she would never know if I kept my past hidden from her. It was time to open up.

"When I was about eight years old, my father up and left. He left because of my mother. She was always in his stuff, had no trust in him, paranoid that he might be seeing someone behind her back. He let her see through her phone records and everything that should have been his privacy but mother wouldn't listen. She was always screaming at him, demanding things go her way. Eventually he grew tired of it and left. I don't know if mom ever misses him but I do. He left and until I was twelve he would often come pay us a visit. But since then, since I was twelve, he hasn't come back. The last time he came to visit, mom was fighting with him again. By then I knew he was remarried. My mom was always bitter about that, that he had been able to move on with his life. I guess she wanted to show him that she didn't need him and that she could raise me by myself to become a very important person someday. So she pushed me on and on. When he stopped coming to see me, her reason for pushing me changed as well to her own self interest." I said and paused for a moment before continuing.

"The only friends I have ever really had are Andrew, Amy, Melvin and Molly. We all met in middle school and though I skipped from six grade to eight, then from eight to eleven, we managed to keep a tentative friendship. Mostly because all of them are very smart and those are the kind of people mom wants me around. When you asked me, I didn't know what to say. My father has always been a part of me I never like to talk about because I felt that when he left, he took with him my happiness." I confided. For a long while, neither of us said anything. We finally reached her house and she had me park inside the gate.

"Come." She said and I got out to follow her inside. Amy had been right, inside was beautiful and grand. Everything was glittering gold or silver with royal purple and crimson touches here and there. Inside was huge. Tapestries, paintings of knights and kings, family portraits in breath taking back grounds that made them look like they existed in a world of their own. Though I noticed pointedly that there were only three pictures of Serena. One with her mother, the other with her father and the third with both of them. Her mother was very beautiful, just like her aunt but there was something about her that was different. She had this air of mystery, of a seductive temptress or a hunter about her that I sometimes recognize in Serena. She didn't have a single picture in which she was in by herself like the others whose pictures could count up to twenty and over. From their childhood to as they are now while Serena's pictures looked identical, as if in one moment, all three pictures were taken. Only one moment of her life, captured. I was really beginning to understand just how lonely she has been living with these people. If they treated her like a person even if not as a family member, she would not have been so lonely. But they pointedly treated her in a way that drove home that she really was alone. Poor thing.

At the heart of the first floor, a spiral staircase led up to the higher levels. I realized the first floor housed the kitchen, indoor gym, swimming pool, and activity room. I followed Serena up the second floor which housed another indoor pool, game room, their personal salon, sitting and recreational rooms and a ballroom.

"The third floor is where our bedrooms are." She said as we went up the third floor. I also noticed that they had an elevator. The rich really did live big. The entire place was beautiful, something right out of a fairytale, not a magazine for even magazines has a limit to its awesomeness. Like a castle just not so obvious from the outside. I followed her to what she called the 'west wing' until we reached this big oak close double door. She knocked but no one answered. Then taking hold of the doorknobs, she opened the door on one side and peered in. she opened the door wider and walked in with me right behind her. On the left was a double door with a book shape handle and on the right was another double door with two round glass handles. Serena walked to the left door and pressed a button at the handle.

"Come in." A voice answered a second later and I felt something race through me. The voice was very deep, similar to Terence but deeper. Much much deeper. Serena grasped the handles on each side of the door and opened it. There was a curtain blocking our view of whoever was inside. Serena pushed the curtain aside gently, took my hand and led me through a narrow hallway that very soon opened up into a wide arch. To the left were thousands of books on books shelves and to the right were an office desk and chair and couches and behind all of that were more books stretching up to the ceiling of the room. It reminded me of the library in the beauty and the beast Disney movie where the beast was offering the library to bell as a present. On the desk seat sat the man I had seen that first day with Serena's aunt. As Serena could not accept her as her mother, neither could I refer to her as such. The man, I knew immediately if not from the pictures before, that he was Serena's father.

"Father." Serena said and he looked up from whatever he was doing on the paper he was looking at. He's eyes landed on Serena with no emotion, then slowly lifted to me. I felt a sudden need to bow. It was as if I was in the presence of some mighty king.

My hands got sweaty all of a sudden and I was having trouble maintaining my gaze with his.

"Father I want you to meet Darien Endymion Shields, my boyfriend. Darien, meet my father." She said as if she was introducing me to one of her friends/ I unconsciously wiped my hand on my pants, moved forward and extended my hand.

"It's an honor to meet you sir." I said. He took my hand and shook it firmly.

"Likewise." He said and let go of my hand. I felt Serena come up behind me and locked her hands around my arm. I looked down on her and she smiled before turning to her father, the smile still in place.

"He will be having dinner with us, if you don't mind." She said.

"That is fine." He replied and it struck me as odd that his voice was just on tone. No inflection, no feeling. Just an automatic short responses, like a robot.

"Well I see you are busy, we will leave you to your work. Good day father." She said and turned to walk out.

"Good day sir." I said and quickly turned to follow her. When I caught up she took my hand and we walked back through the narrow hallway and out of the room. I seemed to have lost my voice so I didn't say anything and followed her out of the main room and back down the hall to the other side which I assume was called the 'east wing.'

At the end of that hallway, another hall crossed it which made it look like a T, she took a turn at the left and I followed her through the dark hallway to the window at the far end. To the left was a double door painted absolutely black but the handle was a gorgeous silver crescent moon and another handle sat right on top of it that was shaped in like a horse with wings and in its mouth was a red rose which I realized was made of precious stone. She took out a card from her pocket, pointed it at the rose and something red flashed. The rose suddenly came alive as if a light has been light in it. Then the light turned blue, making the red rose seem purple. She touched the flying horse and the blue light washed over her hand.

She grasped the two handles, twisted it in opposite ways and the door unlocked. She pulled the door outward and walked in with me right behind her. As soon as she entered, lights came on and she turned around to lock the door while I stood there gaping like a fool. The room was like how Amy had described it to me earlier; gold and silver with crimson here and there. her ceiling though had paintings of otherworldly things like baby angels, beautiful fairies and exotic creatures like phoenixes, unicorns and a baby dolphin. It was so out of place in that whole scene. The wall by which the head post of her bed rested had a lovely picture of her in a very beautiful silver dress that I couldn't imagine existing. In the painting, she was stepping into water in a scene that showed as a courtyard. Her hair was tied in a strange style, two buns at each side of the head with the rest of the hair trailing back from it.

I just sort of looked and stared at it.

"Like it?" she asked as she encircled her hands from behind me.

"It's breath taking." I said.

"Took me the two days to do that." She said. I blinked and turned around to stare at her.

"Only two days?" I asked in astonishment. She nodded, then walked to her bed and sat. Her room was big with a big flat screen TV taking half of the wall facing her bed and on each side were speakers, two really big shelves that held movies that were arranged in categories and in alphabetical order. They were labeled too. Disney, Warner Bros, Tyler Perry, Animes and other labels like comedy, drama, action, and so on. There were two medium shelves which housed CD's that were also labeled as R & B, Rap, Classical, Anime sound tracks, Movie Sound tracks, Gospel, Disney and Soul. At the sides of the room by the bedpost were also hanging flat Screen TVs, just not as big as the one facing the bed.

"What's with all the TV's?" I asked.

"I get tired sitting and facing the TV, so when I am trying to be comfortable and I turn to whatever side, I want to be able to watch the TV without having to be in any awkward position." She responded and I shook my head. Beside the TV on the left was a sliding door I assumed was her closet and by the TV on the right was a see through door which led into a gym. I went and stood there and spied on all the beautiful, brand new looking machines.

"Maintaining my figure doesn't come cheap." She said as she came to stand by me. it was maddening seeing all these expensive unnecessary stuff.

"Come, there is one place I want you to see." She said. She touched the door, a red light washed over her hand and the door slid open. She walked into the exercise room and I followed her. The walls of that room were all glass that looked outside into a beautiful courtyard that you only see behind castles. I drew my attention back to her as she stopped at another door. This door was the cheapest looking door I had seen throughout the house but it was still much better looking than my own. She opened a heart shaped pendant that hanged around her neck that I had not seen there before and inside the pendant was a silver key. She took it out and unlocked the door with it. She entered into the darkness and I followed her but I was surprised that the light hadn't come on immediately. I stopped at the door and a second later the light came on and I found Serena's had on a light switch. The room we were in was covered from floor to ceilings in white wall papers but on the papers were smeared paints and art.

There were canvases, paints, brushes and everything an artist I presumed would need on the right. Which was not all that tidy. On the left however were papers, pens, pencils, light drawings on the paper covered wall, a table and a desk which was piled with books. In the middle of the room was a mattress with pillows and a blanket on it. There was nothing grand about this room, nothing absolutely beautiful, but it was the only room that felt real, that felt lived in. I turned to Serena with a raised brow.

"This is my art studio where I spend all my time when I am not outside of the house. It's the only place I feel at home." She said as she walked toward the blind. She pulled the rope and the blind flipped up to reveal a wide window halfway of the wall to the ceiling. It over looked a flower garden.

I walked toward her standing by the window and pulled her into my arms. This woman was still hurting; no matter how strong she appeared to be.

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	10. Chapter 10

**Love Is Wicked: Eclipse**

**Chapter 10**

**_Previously…._**

There were canvases, paints, brushes and everything an artist I presumed would need on the right. Which was not all that tidy. On the left however were papers, pens, pencils, light drawings on the paper covered wall, a table and a desk which was piled with books. In the middle of the room was a mattress with pillows and a blanket on it. There was nothing grand about this room, nothing absolutely beautiful, but it was the only room that felt real, that felt lived in. I turned to Serena with a raised brow.

"This is my art studio where I spend all my time when I am not outside of the house. It's the only place I feel at home." She said as she walked toward the blind. She pulled the rope and the blind flipped up to reveal a wide window halfway of the wall to the ceiling. It over looked a flower garden.

I walked toward her standing by the window and pulled her into my arms. This woman was still hurting; no matter how strong she appeared to be.

* * *

"Darien…" I heard my name whispered innocently. Even from the deepest stage of sleep, her voice managed to intrude, sliding through barriers and wrapped itself around my heart. My heart speed up knowing that my love was calling me and suddenly all sleep left me. I opened my eyes to stare right into the sky. But not just any sky, a cerulean crystalline sky that looked down on me with love and affections. I reached up unable to help myself and when my fingertips touched the smooth, silky skin of her cheeks, fire raced through my body and gathered at my loins. Pain like never before assaulted my crotch as a sudden desire to taste her, to feel, to assure myself that she was sitting right next to me overrode my senses. My breathing suddenly became labored, my heart squeezed painfully in my chest and fear like nothing I'd felt before gripped me in a vise so strong I succumbed to it as dots of black and white colored my vision.

And then it all stopped as gentle sunset pink lips softly glided over my lips and ears and words I longed to hear reached my confused ears, entering my heart and finally pulling me from fears grip.

"Shh…it's alright love. I am right here. I haven't left you and I never will. I'm right here. It's ok. I love you."

With my fears calmed and vision cleared, I was finally able to take in my surroundings. Well actually I was only looking at Serena's face and lips as it brushed over my face in a soothing butterfly kisses. She raised her head a bit to stare into my eyes, to assure herself that I was alright and for me to truly believe that she was right there next to me. I raised my head up and her lips met my in a yearning yet gentle kiss. I wrapped my hands around her waist and pulled her from her sitting position onto myself and the kiss deepened.

After a while of kissing, possessing, kneading and gasping, we both came up for air. She slid to the side, her hands still wrapped around my neck as I held her waist, her body tightly pressed against mine. We didn't say anything for a good ten minute, both of us comfortable in the silence and healing in each other's company. Finally she sat up and looked down at me. All I could do was stare at her as the sunset outside the glass window illuminated her figure, turning her silvery hair into living fire. God, she was beautiful. And when she smiled, my heart nearly stopped. But then it didn't, it just raced faster than before. I smiled back at her, happy, so happy that she belonged to me.

"Are you ok?" she asked, her voice soft and her hands trailed softly around my face. Did this woman not know what she did to me?!

"Yeah" I managed to whisper back.

"I'm sorry" that brought me out of my foggy mind and I raised a brow at her.

"Why?"

"I think I awakened you in the middle of a bad dream and the dream followed you into reality." She said and I thought back to when her voice first reached me. I had been caught in a nightmare, or a daymare since technically it was not night yet.

"I'm glad you woke me up. It was a terrible nightmare." I said to assure her. She took my hand and held it to her cheek, then after a minute she kissed every finger, making my pulse speed up.

"What was it about?" she asked. I looked at her, debated whether I should tell her or not. I choose not to but when I saw her trusting gaze, her worried face, I knew I could not hide nor lie to her.

"You." I said simply. She didn't say anything, she only run her soft hands up and down my arms, soothing me and encouraging me to elaborate. I closed my eyes as the memories of the dream returned to my conscious mind. So fresh and so painful.

"You had left me. I kept crying, calling your name…." I could see again as her back was turned to me as she walked away. I raced after her but the distance remained ever the same. Tears of desperation and pain poured down my cheeks and I could hear the crack in my voice, as for the thousandth time I called out her name…"but you kept walking away."

I hadn't realized I was crying until I felt her finger gently brushed away the tears. I opened my eyes and guilty pain shot through me as tears poured down her face.

"I'm sorry." She worded, the sound buried in her throat. "What can I do Darien, what can I do to make you believe that I won't leave you?" she asked, looking at me desperately, searching for a sign that could assure me. She was crying for me, worried for me. That was more than enough to assure me. I smiled. A true genuine smile before sitting up to cup her face.

"You really wanna know?" I asked and she nodded. I leaned closer to her ears, licking and kissing her there and was satisfied when she shuddered pleasurably in response. I knew then and there that she was as addicted to me as I was to her. It would hurt her just as bad as it would hurt me if she ever left me or if I ever left her. That thought soothed all my fears, giving me the strength to be bold and ask for what I really wanted.

"I want you to love me Serena. Love me until it hurts to be away from me even for a minute. Love me until your thoughts are consumed with me, until every second you crave for me. Love me until you can't live without me, until you have grasped just how desperately I need you."

I pulled back from her ears to gauge her reaction and what I found there both excited and petrified me. In her eyes, a ruthless determination blazed within, a promise to give me what I had asked for. She stood up, her blazing eyes bore straight into me and caught up in her spell I could do nothing but meet her gaze.

When her voice came out, it was cold yet sweet, it was desperate yet calm, it was husky and yet clear.

"Undress me." It was a both a command and a request. As if I had no will of my own, I stood up, my limbs shaking from both anticipation and fear. I finally understood that I had just asked her to give me her soul and she was complying with my wishes. However I didn't have much time to think about it for when the last piece of clothing she had on came off, I lost my breath and every sense of reality. The night of my birthday when we made love both at the hotel and at my house, I hadn't really gotten to see her full figure naked before me. At the hotel, it was too dark despite the candles, and at the house, she had refused to undress for fear of mother walking in on us.

But here in her studio, under the rays of the setting sun, I finally understood what it meant by the phrase "priceless work of art". Serena's body was beyond gorgeous. It was truly an art work. Everything about her was perfect. Her alabaster skin glowed, her large bouncy breasts stood, not slouched, stood ripe and ready and round and damn inviting. I unashamedly trailed my eyes down beyond her breast (how that was possible I don't know) to her tiny waist to hips that extended backwards to form two perfectly large butt cheeks and connected to legs that went on for miles. Slowly, I raised my head up back to her breast and even more slowly back to her face. I gulped. God, she was perfection itself.

Her eyes dared me to take what I want, to touch and do as I pleased but I was rooted to the spot. I couldn't do anything even when every fiber in my body was erect and ready to pounce on her. And having glimpsed a peak at the pink vagina hidden behind the folds of her labia, my member stood straight up, hurting as the confines of my pants pressed tightly against it. Air hissed out of my mouth at the agonizing need my body felt for Serena, and there she stood, offering me the relief I desperately needed and yet I could not reach for her. God, what did I have to offer this woman who had everything? How could I claim this perfection when I was so imperfect? How could I brand her as mine when I in fact wanted to be branded by her instead? I couldn't do it. She deserved so much better tha….that thought did not finish when I found myself on the bed.

She hadn't pushed me or anything. She had merely reached out and softly touched my bulging loins. The contact had sent painful shots through me and I jumped backwards, landing ungracefully on the bed. She took the two steps toward the bed and I began to back away. I was so afraid of her, of all that she was and all that I could never be. If she really gave me her soul would I be deserving of it? Could I protect it from harm? I felt so unworthy of her that her mere presence was making me tremble. In a heartbeat, she was before me, her blue orbs boring into mine. She pinned me down with her stare and as she reached for me, my mind screamed for my body to move but it could not, not under her spell, not under her warm, affectionate and determined gaze. I was on the bed with my upper torso raised up with my elbows encoring me to the bed. Before I knew it, before I could react, her soft hands had cupped me whole. My elbows lost their strength and my upper torso crushed down on the bed, my hips bucking up and down, thrusting and seeking relief. A scream tore out of my mouth, tears poured down my face, my breathing rough and loud and all the while, she had only touched my crotch. So bulging and painfully filled was the little man between my legs that her mere touch had undone me. Sticky white sperm burst forth, spraying her face and drenching her hand. I looked at my member in disbelief. She hadn't even massaged me, she had merely touched me! Heat of embarrassment and mortification burned my cheeks. I tried to pull my crotch out of her hand but her hold became firm and I paused to look at her. Misery clouded my entire face.

"I'm sorry." I said, tears of shame pooled at my eyes. I had just sprayed her face with my juice!

She looked into my eyes and smiled warmly, taking me aback before he lips and tongue touched me. A jolt pulsed through my veins. All sensations stopped and focused on my crotch which was being sucked on by the woman I love. The pleasure coming from the experience tore moans and growls out of my abdomen, through my chest and out of my mouth. Sounds I had never made before came out one after the other and all the while I stared wide eyed at the main of silver hair that cascaded down her back.

Unable to stay still underneath her admonishing, my hips began to thrust again unconsciously against her lips. She sucked me entirely to the root and my eye contact with her figure broke as my head flipped back in complete ecstasy. By goalie, I had never felt this damn good. Once again I could feel the pressure build up, my climax descending faster than I could control and when I could take no more, I screamed out her name and her mouth left me just before my juice spilled out.

I lay in bed, gasping and trying to catch my breath and thanking God that the sticky liquid hadn't spilled into her mouth. I would not be able handle that embarrassment. I felt her absence when her hand left my crotch and sighed in relief a second later when her whole body pulled on top of mine. Instinctively, I wrapped my arms around her torso, resting my fingers gently on her firm buttocks. She stared into my eyes as I stared into hers before she softly kissed me.

"You're not repulsed?" I asked when we came up for air. At this time I noticed the sun had set and dusk had fallen. I didn't know what time it was but I was not in a hurry to go anywhere so it didn't matter. She blinked up at me, confusion smearing her angelic face.

"Repulsed at what?" she asked, her head cocked to the side. Cute.

"You know….the…um…spraying…" heat burned at my cheeks but when her melodic laughter bubbled out of her breasts, my embarrassment passed and I smiled down at her.

"Oh Darien, you are so innocent. No Darien, I am not repulsed. For your information, some girls actually like drinking the juice." She said and my eyes widened at that. Who the hell would like to drink in the disgusting sticky stuff?!

She laughed harder at my disbelief, sitting up to hold her stomach. I enjoyed the view of her breasts bouncing with her laughter. When she finally calmed down, reducing her laughter to giggles, she shook her head at me in complete adoration. I didn't feel so bad. At least my ignorance made her laugh.

"Darien love, it is completely normal. I actually don't prefer to drink in that stuff. Nothing against those who do, but like you I find it disgusting so I don't." she said.

"But you did lick in my…." My cheeks burned again. I would never be able to mention it without blushing I realized.

"Yes I did. I may have not slept with people as I have made everyone think that I have, but I have at least relieved some people of their arousal with my tongue. However I never once touched or let their juice touched me. Like I said, personally I find it disgusting. But for you Darien, I will do anything. Besides, you were so mortified that if I hadn't done that you would never have recovered from your embarrassment." She said, I felt both warmed and embarrassed but I was pleased. She would do anything for me she said.

"And Darien?" I looked at her in response. "All that you asked from me, I had already given. I'm sorry if I didn't made myself clear before. I have a little more control over myself than you do so it may look like I'm in complete control but when it comes to you Darien, truth be I am helpless against you. I do think of you every second of the day, I crave for you so much it hurt, at night when I know I won't see you for several hours until the sun rise it drives me insane to the point where last night around 3 a.m. I was at your house but I didn't come inside. I am helplessly addicted to you, completely in love with you. I can kill Darien, if someone tries to take you away from me." She whispered.

I gasped at all that she said. She had been at my house! At 3 a.m. in the morning! She had missed me as much as I had missed her last night. Her last words worried me a little but I was nonetheless happy to hear them. She loves me; again and again I was becoming aware of how much her feelings mirrored my own.

I pulled her back on top of me, breathing in her scent. I was satisfied beyond belief. Well almost satisfied beyond belief.

"Thank you." I whispered to her. She smiled up at me and I knew what to do to complete my satisfaction. I turned around suddenly, pinning her under me and chuckled when she made a slight whimpering sound.

"Darien what are you…" I kissed her before she could complete her sentence. When we both came up for air, I smiled evilly at her, a twinkle of mischief in my eyes.

"My turn." And with that thought I began to caress her. Her body responded readily to my touch but she allowed me to do what I was doing. I explored every inch of her body with my lips, fingers and eyes.

"You're so beautiful angel." I heard my own gruff voice say many times. I started from her face, moving down to her ears and neck, nibbling, kissing and licking every surface available. Then I proceeded down to her breasts and was gratified to hear her moan and shudder pleasantly as I nibbled on her nipples and kneaded her breasts. It felt so good to hold her breasts, they were firm yet soft, large and bouncing and delicious to taste. I was drank on her scent, her taste, her absolute gorgeousness. As I moved down her stomach to her to her umbilicus and finally down to her thighs, I could hear her breathing pick up. I knew that she had denied her own arousal to take care of mine because before I even touched her; she was wet, very wet. And that made up my mind for me. Instead of using my fingers, I remembered the feel of her mouth on my member, remembered how wonderful it felt. Would it be the same for her I wondered. Opening her legs, her breath hitched in anticipation. I brought my face close to her private and was delightful rewarded by the musky, woman scent that drifted up my nose. God was there any part of her that didn't smell heavenly?!

I blew a hot breath down her clit and watched with interest as her body trembled violently.

"Darien please" her heavy, husky pleading voice cut straight through me. It hurt me to hear her beg. She shouldn't ever have to beg for anything; especially for something I was so willing to give her myself. I looked up at her, her eyes tightly closed, her hand clenched white on the bed sheets and a tender lover like trickling stream, one so gentle and compassionate overwhelmed me for this woman. This sad yet strong woman. I love her, I love her so much.

I couldn't bear teasing her anymore. Gently I opened her labia folds and my tongue entered her silky depth, taking in her wetness, her juice, her essence and I was not at all disgusted by it. In fact, I loved every lick of it.

In and out, my tongue danced through her, thrusting deeper, harder and faster urged on by the moaning and pleasurable sighs coming from her lips. When the pressure built, her breathing uncontrollably labored and her climax at her peak, she called out my name in a tone filled with pleading and gratification and like she had down for me, I took her over the horizon as her body tremblingly returned to herself. I didn't take my tongue out of her until I heard her satisfied sigh and her juice I drank easily. I was not disgusted with myself, not one bit and I would do it again the moment I had another opportunity. With her breathing slowing down and her eyes closed in contentment, I lay on my princess and held her to me.

"Angel?"

"Mmmm?" she responded, her eyes still closed.

"I'm in love with you."

"And I with you love."

And with that we made love again, not with our hands or mouth but with the most intimate parts of ourselves. Thrusting in and out, staring into her brilliant blue orbs, our lips met and all was still. We were finally whole.

* * *

Clearly, we had underestimated how long gratifying love making could take because when we noticed the time, after taking a short nap, it was midnight.

I groaned painfully as I dressed, dreading mother's reaction when I get home. I ran my hand through my hair with the intention of straightening it out but thoughts of mother disrupted my attempts and in frustration, I made it look worse than it originally was. I had just had one of the very best times of my life, and instead of blissfully sleeping by my lover's side, holding her tight all throughout the night, I had to get up and go deal with a mother who I was starting to think needed medical therapy.

Serena had gone to take a shower and so while I was waiting for her, I pulled a chair by the window and sat still looking at the glowing field of flowers below. It was a very beautiful view, the moonlight turning everything a silver blue shade.

I hadn't realized that I had closed my eyes sometime during my quiet musing until I felt Serena's gentle caress over my face. I looked up and gave her a smile but it was strained smile. She knelt before me, cupping my face in both her hands.

"It will be alright baby. All will be well. Don't fear so much. She's only human and as strict as she is, I'm sure she has your best interest at heart Darian." She said reassuringly. Coming from her, I believed it.

"You look gorgeous Serena." I replied in thanks and she really did. She was wearing white capris that didn't hold her ass as tight as most of her clothes did but it didn't hide her curves either. And on top she had on a matching tank top that hugged her chest but loosened down to her hips from underneath her breasts. Two pearl bracelets graced her left wrist. Her hair was in a bun at the back of her head with the remainder falling behind her in lovely curls of silver river.

She smiled up at me and kissed me. I returned the kiss whole hearted and together we stood. But before she could pull away, I tightened my hold on her, kissing her more aggressively. She moaned into my mouth and I could feel my member awakening again. I was in disbelief at myself. We'd made love so many times today and yet I was still so easily turned on by a mere moan from her. Coming up for air, I grasped her buttocks, keeping her body tightly pressed against me. I knew she felt my stiff groin because she sighed and said,

"Oh Darien. I think you are becoming addicted to love making." A giggle escaped her lips and I delighted in the sound of her musical laughter.

"I want you again Serena, right now." I whispered fervently in her ears before leaning back to search her eyes for and answer. She smiled at me, pushed my paints down and when it hit the floor, she also lowered her capris and took one leg out of the silky material of the pant she wore.

"Come." She said and walked to the window. I left my paints on the floor, eager to follow her. I was surprise when she reached out with both her hands toward the wall right below the window and her derriere was turned to me. She turned her head fractionally to me, a sexily devastating smile on her rosy pink lips as she whispered, "if you want me, you're gonna have to take me from the back."

I barely heard the words, my eyes completely trained on the two perfectly round butt cheeks which glimmered from the light of the moon. All thoughts flew out of my mind and I found my tongue gliding down the crack, my fingers spread on each check. I was on my knees as I kissed her buttocks. I licked, kneaded, nibbled, pinched and bit her ass and still I could not get enough. Her butt was just as invigorating to taste and devour as her breasts hand been. She gasped at first, having not expected me to lick down her crack but soon she panted, moaned and groaned in pleasure. My name coming out of her mouth in moans and murmurs of pleasure was music to my ears. When my member hurt so much that I could no longer resist entering her, I rose from my knees, positioned my crotch right against her clit and pushed in eagerly, my right hand reaching from under her shirt to grasp her breast as my left hand held her stomach. Sensations through my body were incredible. My hips bucked against her derriere, enjoying the soft bounce of her buttocks as I drove myself deep and hard into her. Each time I thrust so deep and hard into her, her body would tremble and her folds would hold my member so tight that I felt I was gonna come too early. I kneaded her breasts mercilessly and her neck became my toy as I licked and kissed and nibbled.

Unexpectedly, she went down on her knees, taking me along with her. Her legs spread further, giving me full access into her and with no hesitation, I took her again and again and again until all my energy was spent and she and I were released from the bounds of lust and heat. I held her against the wall as we both tried to catch our breaths and sturdy our excessively beating hearts.

"Oh Serena I love you so much. I wish…oh how I wish…"

She looked up at me.

"What do you wish for Darien?" she asked, looking up at me with serious eyes. I shook my head. She didn't need to know my illogical thoughts. But instead she stilled my shaking head, her eyes demanding I answer.

"What do you wish for Darien." Despite her hard gaze, her voice was ever gentle.

"You." I whispered, gauging her reaction. Instead she lifted a brow and I chuckled at that.

"I wish I was married to you. I wanna go to sleep holding you, wake up to see your beautiful face first thing in the morning. Taste you at any hour of the day or night without having to think about going home and dealing with a psychopathic mother." At that she giggled.

"We will get there love. One step at the time." My eyes opened wide at that.

"You would marry me?" I asked, my breath caught in my throat.

"When you're ready and ask me, my answer will be yes." She said, a twinkle in her cerulean eyes. I crushed my lips to hers and soon we were back to making out.

* * *

About 1:30 am, we found ourselves driving down the road to my house. I held onto Serena's hand, watching her with a fond smile as she sang along with some random song playing on the radio. Suddenly she laughed and she turned to look at me, her face lit with amusement.

"Are you going to tell me what's got you laughing so suddenly?" I asked her, smiling again as she burst into giggles.

"Remember that I told my dad we would join them for dinner." She said and I remembered. Horror smeared my face as I grasped my head.

"How could we forget?!" I bellowed.

"Don't sweat it Darien. This is not the first time I had not join them for dinner. They prefer it that way really." She said, a long pause following her words.

I squeezed her hand, hoping to convey all my love for her. She smiled gratefully at me before reverting her eyes back on the road.

"Well anyways, apparently father had asked where we were at. Thinking that I was in my room, Troy came to get me. He knew that when I am home, I am mostly in the studio and so he headed that way. When he made to knock on the door, guess what he heard?" she said, laughing gleefully.

"No." I whispered as mortification drowned me in a sea of embarrassment.

"Oh yes my dear. He heard a very gruff, aroused male voice screaming my name." please let the earth swallow me whole I prayed as Serena continued to laugh. I hid my face in my hands. This could not be happening.

"Anyway, be glad that it was troy, not anyone else. He told them that you were asleep and I was busy with work. Though I very much doubt they believed him. Of course he also called your mom and told her that you were with our family so not to worry. Man he must have reddened to the tips of his toes." She finished. I was the one reddened to the tips of my toes.

"I can never face Troy again." I murmured.

Serena continued to the laugh the whole way home.

We finally reach my house some 30 minutes later but none of us made any attempt to move. I was dreading this night separation. I knew that in a couple of hours I would see her. But even so, it felt wrong for us to part. She squeezed my hand, giving me a small smile before she opened her door. I sighed and did the same. The cool night air felt nice on my heated skin and as I closed my eyes, I imagined the day Serena and I would share the same bed and never have to be without each other.

"A few more years." I whispered. Maybe I could ask her to marry me the moment I graduate. I thought and shook my head, I would have no means of taking care of her and though she was more than capable of providing for herself, what use would I be in her life then? As a husband, it was my duty, responsibility and pleasure to provide for my wife, even if she had more than I did.

Her fingers over my face startled me back into reality. I placed my own fingers over hers, bringing her fingers to my lips and kissing each one of them.

"I can't wait till we get married too Darien. I want to know what a real family feels like. To eat together, go on a picnic or a trip, to hear someone say I love you every morning the moment my eyes open and every night before my eyes close. And to be able to say it back. To come home and hear "welcome home", or even to feel like the house we live in is also my home. I want that second only to the want and need I feel for you." She said, tears wavering in her eyes. That was her dream. Everyone dreams of riches, successful jobs, power, materialistic things but this girl, all she wanted was someone to love her. A feeling so intangible but more powerful than anything money can buy.

"We don't have to wait for some of the stuff you wish for to be granted love." I said to her, a smile playing on my lips. She smiled up uncertainly at me.

"From now on until forever, I will call you in the morning to tell you I love you and before you close your eyes at night, on the phone I will whisper it to you. If something happens and I cannot get in contact with you, close your eyes and hear my voice in your heart telling you that I love you with every breath in my body. And if I must, I alone will be your family. But remember this Angel; apart from me you have people that love you too. Lita, Michelle, Amara, your brother Troy, Amy, heck even Rei and Mina. We all love you. Family isn't generated only through blood. Sometimes, family born off friends can be stronger than those born of blood. As for trips and picnics, we can do that now. Either you and I alone or with all of our friends. You are not as alone as you think love. Your heart is too beautiful for you to keep it to yourself. The right people, Angel, will respond to you. And even if the whole world deserts you, know that I've got your front and back and all sides. I will be your family forever and I will be to you everything you need." I wiped her tears away after my long speech concluded. I meant every word I said to her. She threw her arms around me and cried gratefully. Dear God I love this woman. Please don't let anyone take her away from me.

After a while, we composed ourselves and hand in hand we walked toward the house to deal with mother who was possibly furious and ready to kill. I asked Serena to drive away, at this point I believed my mother capable of anything but she wouldn't leave.

"I would rather stand by your side and die than ran away like a coward." She had said and though I admired her courage, I was still too worried. Before it was hot water, this time it could be gasoline with a match waiting to be lit.

When we rounded the corner of the front porch, we came to a dead stop. Color drained out of my face as comprehension dawn on me.

Sitting in front of the door were all my things, packed as if ready to move out. Serena sighed and hugged me from behind.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered. I closed my eyes, sadness clouding my heart. Serena let go of me and my eyes flashed open when she started pounding loudly on the door.

"Serena don't!" but she was furious. The look in her eyes could kill. She kicked at the door, screaming at the top of her lungs for my mom to open the door. Honestly I didn't think she could yell that loud. I had to cover my ears before I lost my hearing.

We heard footsteps stampeding towards the door and when the door was yanked open, mother's angry face glared at us maliciously.

"What the hell do you want at my house sluts?!" she demanded. Sluts…meaning her enemy wasn't Serena alone anymore but me as well. I stared at her in amazement. Had this woman ever loved me? Had she ever loved me for me, not for the load of cash she knew I would bring in when I became a doctor?

"You foolish hag!" Serena yelled at her. Honestly, I was impressed with Serena. My mother's cold gaze has frozen men and babies alike. But it didn't faze Serena at all. I got the feeling that Serena thought my mom was a child who was flipping over losing a candy.

"You would send your child, your only son away from your home just because he loves!?"

"I have no son." Mother replied. I thought I could take it but those words pierced through me so sharply that I could not contain the gasp that tore out of my lips. Unbidden tears slid down my cheeks. All these years, when she had made me give up on everything I wanted to do. I had not fought her. I had done everything she asked because I wanted to please her, to see her smile, to see her happy. And this was the thanks I get? What had I sacrificed my childhood for?

Unable to look at her anymore, I turned around and left, returning back into Serena's car as if the shades of the car could protect me from the pain piercing through my heart. This was so unfair. The night before I cried for the hurt my mother had caused Serena, this night I cried for the hurt she had caused me.

A few minutes later, Serena, dragging my things walked back to the car. I watched her with dull eyes. I knew the things she was carrying were heavy. They weren't much for I didn't have many things anyway but heavy they still were. I knew I should rise up and go help her but lord my body would not move. It was like I was entering into shock. I watched as she passed me, heard the trunk unlocked and my things placed in. The trunk shut and a few seconds later, the door to the driver's side open. She sat and looked at me. I knew her eyes were on me even though I wasn't looking at her. I was just too drained of energy to muster the courage to look at her.

"You can go you know." She said quietly. Her tone was soft and yet it carried a sadness so deep it gave me the strength to look at her. She wasn't looking at me anymore. She was staring straight ahead, her fingers fidgeting on the wheel.

"You can return back into the house. Promise her you will never ever see me again and keep your promise, your relationship with her will restore. I will even help by moving back to the state. I don't want you hurt Darien." I looked at her, the words she had just said not registering properly in my ears.

"You want to leave me?" even though my voice was soft and calm, panic began to rise, my chest started hurting and I could feel my breathing starting to get labored. _She wants to leave me_. Those were the words ringing in my head. I totally forgot that I had just been disowned, that I was now homeless. The dream I had earlier on today returned with a vengeance and my vision started to blackout.

"Damnit Darien I don't want to leave you!" she yelled as she clutched at the collar of my shirt.

"I don't ever want to leave you." This time she said so quietly, her voice broken as she began to sob. The panic symptoms I had begun to experience disappeared as her words registered. When I was finally in control, I looked at her pleadingly.

"I don't want to leave you Darien. But how can I stay when you look like I have just taken your most precious thing away from you." She sobbed quietly as she removed her hands from the neck of my shirt, crying into her hands. Guilt hit me. I hadn't meant for her to feel as if she was to blame. She wasn't to blame. Until now, I had just never known the woman I have been calling mother all these years.

I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her onto my lap. It wasn't easy considering the small space within the car. I gently rubbed her hands, trying to sooth her as she cried.

"I'm so sorry. It was not my intention to make you feel at fault Angel. In fact I should thank you for coming into my life. Thanks to you, I was finally able to see past the mask of a caring mother my mom wore so deceitfully. She has never once cared for me for myself. It was always about her. She wanted me to become a doctor so that I would take care of her someday but more than anything, she just wanted something to rub in my father's face. She wanted to disgrace my father, prove to him that she doesn't need him, and make him regret leaving her. Her own ambitions drove her every move and thus drove mine. I did everything I could to please her, to make her happy. And though I knew I was being used as a weapon against my father, even though I wondered every day if she truly loved me, I allowed myself to be used. Forsaking my own dreams to make hers a reality. Thank you love for coming into my life love. You just set me free from all these chains tightened around my body. Now I can truly pursue what I really want to do, answering to no one but the yearnings of my heart for you. So thank you." I said. She lifted her tear stained face up to mine.

"Really?" she asked. I nodded. I smiled at her before I leaned down and captured her lips in mine, nibbling at her juicy full lips before slipping my yearning tongue into the folds of her deliciously tasting mouth. As the kiss deepened, my arms bringing her close to my chest as was physically possible, one thought entered my head and when it did, my lips left hers and I smiled.

"Angel?"

"Yes?"

"I would rather lose her than lose you. I can live without her, I can be happy without her, I can even finish school without her. But I will be lost without you. I will be nothing without you. I will die without you."

She smiled up at me and I met her in another kiss. When our lips touched, I knew we would be ok.

* * *

please read and REVIEW and PLEASE IGNORE GRAMMATICAL ERRORS AND SUCH, I REALLY AM TOO BAD WITH IT. AND BAD SPELLINGS TOO LOL. I actually just finished writing this chapter, took me the whole day to come up with something to write. It's 1 am here, as you can guess, i am tired!

I know this has been long in coming and it is short and maybe slightly cheesy, but i hope you enjoy it anyway. i realize that facts of nursing is squashing away all my creative juice so please bare with me as I try to reorient myself from the grips of nursing.

Thank you all so much for waiting! I LOVE YOU ALL VERY MUCH!^^


	11. Chapter 11

**Love Is Wicked: Eclipse**

**Chapter 11**

On that fateful night when I became homeless, instead of weeping and moping, I spent the remainder of the darken sky in bliss of passionate love making. The idea that I had nowhere to live did not bother me. I knew that Serena would provide for me until I was on my own two feet again.

After we broke apart from kissing in the car, her dark hungry eyes pinned my own lustful gaze to hers. I knew she was searching for something in my eyes, but what I could not guess. Frustrated at what she could not guess, she growled. Though the growl had been uttered in frustration, it came out as purr, causing my heart to speed up again and my balls to harden into a knot.

Goalie, I just had her so many times just about an hour ago! So why was I still craving for her. Could I never satisfy my thirst for her?

_No, no I can't_. I thought when the soft silky skin of her palms touched my cheek. Her thumb traced the corner of my lips, her body bent over, giving me complete field of vision of her perfectly round breasts. I licked my lips unconsciously.

"Darien…"

"Mmmm…?" I replied with an effort of will that left me drained. I lifted my gaze from the breasts that arrested my thoughts to look into her eyes, knowing that she could see the desire raging through me.

"What do you want?" She whispered softly, her warm breathing tickling my face.

"You." I answered honestly. She smiled at me and gently brushed the bangs of my hair that had fallen onto my eyes.

"I know you want me. Believe me, I want you too but that's not what I meant. I mean what do you want to do now?"

I thought about it for a while, her encouraging blue orbs telling me to take all the time I needed to think about it. What did I want to do now? I wanted to do a number of things, all having to do with her. Erotic images I best not describe probed through my brain and I had to shake my head to distract those fantasy thoughts. What did I want to do now? I sighed; looking at the house I had spent the past 8 years of my life in. somehow it suddenly seemed alien and foreign. It seemed so cold and empty and narrow and so small…

The thought sent me into a fit of laughter. Serena looked at me as if I was crazy. Her eyebrow roused and her lips tilted in an uncertain smile, she looked too cute. I leaned up and kissed her briefly. I would miss mom, after all, she was my mom. And despite all her selfishness, she had fed me, she had clothed me, she had worked day and night to help me through school and to put a roof over our heads. She had taken care of me, at least my physical needs and that was more than I could say for the father who abandoned me when he could no longer tolerate mother. No, I would miss mother, I would miss her cooking and on rare occasions when she smiled whole heartedly. But it was time I learned to do things on my own. I hated that it had to be done this way, through pain and mistrust but what was done was done. We just had to forge on forward. Besides, I knew my future. She was sitting right in front of me gauging if she should call a therapist for me. She was my future. A brighter future than anyone has ever had. I was content to walk towards that future, no matter how many obstacles I would have to overcome.

Once again, I burst into laughter.

"Darien…" before she could finish her worried sentence, I pulled her hard to me, crushing my lips with fevered hunger on her perfectly waiting lips. I groped her body with hard, firm strokes and even managed to tear the front of her shirt, revealing her glorious full breasts. I looked into her glazed eyes, hunger, thirst, desire, love and lust burning through my own.

"What I want Angel is to always be with you. But what I want to do right now is to be inside of you, to love you hard and deep for the remained of the dark hours until the sun has risen and fallen once again. I want to impale myself in you repeatedly until every moan turns into a scream of my name, until your body shudders and burn and begs to rest. That my love is what I want to do right now." She and I were both shocked at what I had just said. But more than that, I was shocked at the sound of the voice that came out of my mouth. It had been deep, grutal, commanding, demanding, sensual and completely lust driven. It was a voice belonging to a king of immense power.

Serena's shock soon turned into one cat like grin and my body hummed in anticipation. She readjusted herself back onto her seat, put her seat belt on and drove like the devil was after us. In spite of my lust driven state, I feared for my life as Serena floored the car, cutting off cars after cars. I was afraid to look at the speedometer. I fearfully put my seatbelt on and tried to keep a lookout for police but the scenery blurred past us so fast that I knew my human eyes were useless. If there were police, they would catch us faster than my eyes could detect them. All the while the catlike grin never left her lips.

Thirty or so minutes later, we appeared before a huge glass apartment building. It was one of those buildings that had its own cleaning services, room services and hosted only the most important people all over the world. It was beautiful.

Wind and Water, that was the name of the apartment complex. The entire complex was designed and decorated in various shades of aqua and amber. It was a huge thirteen story circular structure, made entirely out of glass with the exception of the floor which was carpeted by an aqua colored rug. It was beautifully decorated with painted pictures of waves and water and of winds. Crystallized structures and ornaments adorned every corner and sat atop equally made glass tables. My breath was taken out of my lungs to the point where I was nearly choking. My eyes were huge, taking in the exquisite design of everything.

This is a place for royalties! I thought in shock. It was beautiful, elegant and completely mysterious. Though one could see everything outside through the glass, no one from outside could see what was going on inside. I had heard about this hotel from the rich brats at my school, I never expected to ever have the fortune to be here. And besides, all that I had heard about this place made me skeptically, such a beautiful place could not exist I had told myself. Boy was I wrong.

I hadn't realized that Serena had been pulling me along the entire time I was caught in admiration of the building until we entered the elevator. But when I turned my attention on her to ask what we were doing here, the beauty of the building suddenly dulled. What could possibly be as beautiful as the woman before me whose breasts were barely clad, revealing alabaster skin of unimaginable beauty? No, the glass structure, the paintings and all the décor could not compare to the exquisite beauty before me. I saw her pressed the button for the thirteenth floor and when the elevator began its silent motion, I found myself crushed to the wall of the elevator in a heated kiss that had me responding in less than a second. We grinded against each other, kissing, tearing, moaning…nothing we did was human. Growls like lions pounding on each other escaped our throats and when the elevator stopped and opened, we stumbled out as if drunk, still locked in each other's heated embrace.

Completely caught up in the kiss and mind blank, it wasn't until we tumbled into a massive bed did the lusty haze dimmed a little. But that was short lived when Serena yanked my pants down. Losing it, I helped her, desperately tearing off her own clothes. Fever, passion, love and lust gripped us in a vice we could not hope to escape. I was not gentle at all but she met my fevered thrust with fevered hip thrusts of her own. We burned for each other so much that we could not satisfy each other. It was even more painful how much we could not get enough of each other. Like eating and eating and eating but never getting full. Again and again, thrusts after thrusts, I burst into her all the juice that made me a man. And she, or dear God, she came again and again, my name a never ending story told through her moans.

The bed just wasn't enough. We were soon on the floor, on the glass wall, tables and chairs. I don't know what surface we did not cover.

And when our bodies could no longer take the abuse, we crushed onto the bed as the morning's first sun rays burst forward in a blinding triumph. But we didn't care. Finally, after a night of carnal love making, we were sated, satisfied and too damn tired to be kept awake by the glory of the sun. And somehow in my tired daze, I was able to grasp the blanket and cover us both. Holding her tightly in my possessive arms, I whispered a goodnight and an 'I love you' to her before kissing her on the forehead gently. She sleepily returned the words back to me and together we fell under sleeps seductive hypnotism.

* * *

Serena was the first to wake up, I waking up some hours after her when the aroma of something delicious reached the receptors of my nose and reported to my brain, alerting my body that I actually haven't eaten since the afternoon of the day before at the arcade. Slowly, my senses awakened and with it, my body. Opening my eyes, I took in the warm light pouring in from outside through the glass. I sat up on the bed and looked all around me. I was in some kind of a room, the wall made entirely out of glass. The bed I sat on was a massive queen size bed draped in gold and silver silky bed sheets and spreads. All decorations in the room were in colors that matched the bed covers. There wasn't much in the room except a huge flat screen TV on the wall, two sofas joined together to form a crescent around a low glass made table and sitting atop was a golden glass vase containing red glass roses surrounding one perfectly sprouted silver glass rose. Lowered from the ceiling was a chandelier in a shape I had never seen before. It was beautiful, a golden crescent moon with a glass maiden hold a green stemmed red bud rose brought to her lips in a caressing kiss. Two glass lamp stands sat at each side of the bed with lamps made of glass sitting on top of each. A glass looking studying table and chair sat at one side of the wall and from its opposite side, a glass bookcase protruding out from the wall.

The room was big and elegant and warm. A room fit for royalty and the sun's golden rays only further to reveal the brilliance and magnificence of the room I found myself in.

Lush carpet met my foot as I stood up and walked to the glass wall, completely unaware of how nude I was. From there I saw that the inner court of the circularized glass structured apartment complex held gardens perfectly kept and designed. Women and men, all in fancy clothes and hats strolled in and out of the gardens and kids roamed as if in their own private paradise.

I closed my eyes, taking in everything I had just seen and letting the memories of events that had taken place late within the night surface up. I don't know how long I stood like that but when familiar gently hands wound around my waist and a body forever engraved in my being hugged me from behind, I could only sigh in content. Life was too good. I kept my eyes closed, listening to her steady heartbeat and taking in her lovely sent of vanilla, jasmine, lavender and chocolate. A happiness I could not explain started to seep through my veins and abruptly I turned around in her arms, wanting to, no, needing to look into my angels eyes, to kiss her lips and know that truly we were together.

She was taken aback by my abrupt movement but when my lips found hers and her arms automatically wrapped itself around my neck, I sighed into her mouth. All tensions from my body drained and in my heart and soul, I was finally at peace, knowing, believing beyond a doubt that she would never leave me.

What had started out as a gently caressing kiss began to turn as hunger for her flesh forgotten in sleep began to awaken. But before I could scope her up and take her to the bed as I was about to do, my stomach growled pitifully, which caused both of us to stop. We stilled only for a moment before we burst out in glees of laughter.

"You, my dearest, need to eat something before we continue." Serena said between giggles.

"Would probably provide me with the energy I need." I agreed, pulling her to me once again. She rested her head on my chest and I was just content to hold her. After a couple of minutes, she pushed back from me and I gave her false hurt stare. She chuckled at that.

"As much as I am addicted to that gorgeous body of yours, Amara, Michelle, Lita, Rei, Mina, Ami and Troy will be here in less than an hour. You can shower now and come eat afterwards or you can eat now and shower afterwards." She told me. I thought about it a minute and figured a shower now was to be my top priority.

"Shower now." She nodded with a smile and reached out a hand to me. I automatically met her halfway. We shared a warm look before I followed her to the bookshelf protruding from the wall.

I blinked at her and at the bookshelf. She pressed a hidden compartment of the bookshelf, causing the bookshelf to lift up and slide off to our left. Where the bookshelf had been, a doorway now stood ajar and into it I followed Serena in. As soon as we stepped through, light flooded in and I took in my surroundings. We were in a kind of saloon or something. Hair and makeup stuff were neatly organized around the room and on glass made tables and shelves. The entire walls were made of viewing mirrors so no matter where you stood; you could see your reelection, even from the floor and from the ceiling.

She allowed me to take in the view before she led me to the dead end wall to which she showed me exactly where to press since the glass at every angle looked the same. Upon pressing it, a hidden glass door slide open to reveal a huge bathroom with a Jacuzzi sitting at the left, a regular shower at the center but at the back wall and to the right a standing shower. In a far off corner, inside a see-through glass sat the toilet. On the walls by where the door was, protruding shelves held towels, lotions, wash cloths and body washes of various brands, bubble soaps, scented oils and so on. Whatever one needed, one could find there.

She showed me how to turn everything on and off, how to change the water temperatures and even what type of water I wanted. After showing me everything she thought I would need, she took me out of the room to press a glass in another part of the wall which opened into a walk in closet. Shoes rested neatly on rolls upon rolls of shelves all around the glass wall while massive amounts of clothes were hang on racks, neatly organized in the center of the room. It was a mini mall.

"Well right now everything in here is mine, not that you're not welcomed to wear any if you can find one that fits." She said in a giggle to which I raised a brow and smiled at her.

"I might find one or two." I returned with humor and she laughed. Gosh I loved the sound of her laughter. I am love sick aren't I?

"Well suit yourself then. Tomorrow we can go shopping after school to pick up other things you need and don't tell me you don't need anything. I don't care. The amount of clothes in your bag is sadly less than twenty counting each piece." She said with her hands crossed over her chest in a defensive stance. Her eyes dared me to challenge hair. I had been about to tell her that I didn't need any more clothes when she caught me off. I looked at her, trying to be ok with the idea that she was spending so much on me. I am not with her so that she can provide my every whim!

She saw the struggle in my eyes because she dropped her defensiveness, reached for me and kissed me softly.

"Please?" she begged and I hated the sound. I really really really didn't want her to ever beg me for anything. I want to give what I can give her willing. She was too beautiful, too kind and too damn sexy to stoop to begging.

"Will it make you happy?" I asked

She responded by nodding her head enthusiastically which caused me to chuckle.

"Very well, I accept your kindness so long as you don't go overboard." I had barely finished my sentence when she threw herself in my arms in a scream of pure delight. How was she so happy about giving hard earned money away so freely? Truly, my angel was one of a kind.

I nuzzled to her neck, inhaling her sweet sweet scent before kissing her there. I heard her indrawn breath and smiled against her skin. Slowly, ever so slowly, I moved my lips up her neck and cheeks until I reached her lips.

"I love you." I murmured, receiving a smile so full of affections, I didn't need to hear her tell me back that she loved me too. I knew. And with that I kissed her… well I planned to but the moment my lips touched hers, soft peaceful music filled the room. I looked up in surprise, hearing Serena groan beside me. I looked down at her and in her eyes, I saw hunger rising. She sighed.

"Our dear friends are here." she said in almost distaste and I had to laugh.

"I'll be out as soon as I can and we can kick them out faster." I said to her, kissing her deeply but quickly.

She leaned up and hugged me. Just that act, it was so precious. When she pulled back, she pointed to a rack at the back and I followed her finger with my eyes.

"That has all your clothes on it. Your other stuff is in the bedroom. If you need anything I will be in the kitchen trying not to kill our friends for the interruption." She said in a serious tone before we started laughing.

"Also when in the bedroom, move two feet to the right of the bed and walk straight forward, the door will open up. All the doors in the apartment are hidden since everything is made of glass. I will show you all the hidden compartments in due time." I nodded. She led me out of the dressing room, kissed me, her breasts pressed against me for a half a minute before she winked and left me in the saloon. Chuckling, I went to the direction of where the bathroom door was, touched where I hoped Serena had taught me to touch and sighed in relief when the door opened. I stepped in, picked up the soap and towel stuff I needed, hanged it on the rail of the standing shower before stepping under the hot shower.

_Maybe I should use cold instead_. I thought before reaching to adjust the water temperature.

I looked up and after a sudden jubilant laughter, I grinned and couldn't help but utter,

"Man Serena, I love you!"

* * *

It was mind boggling how much money floated in the world and yet there was so many people left under the poverty line. I mean look at the apartment complex we had entered?! It was all made of glass! And their decorations, those art pieces and glass ornaments, I estimated over a billion just for those alone. Someone or someones had to be really loaded to have been able to create this glass heaven.

"Breathe Amy, breathe." Lita, the chef I had met once at Darien's house that one time when Darien and Serena had not shown up at school, said in a worried voice. I knew I was overreacting but I couldn't help it! Had Darien felt this way when he came here with Serena? Had he felt this overwhelmed?

I looked at Troy, noting his worried gaze over me. Looking at him I suddenly felt scared. Since I have been with Troy, my fear of rich people seemed to have vanished but in this complex, surrounded on all sides with so much money that could be used to feed the world, I suddenly remembered my fear of the rich. How could they have so much and share so little!? How could they turn blind eye on the many people suffering, the poor beggars downtown sitting every day in filth just trying to get enough in them to live only to repeat that horrible existence the next day?! How could they!? Righteous indignation filled me and in a cold voice I had never used before asked, "Who owns this apartment?"

I could see the confusion in their eyes. In my head I was screaming at myself for the embarrassment I was putting myself through and yet I could not break away from my righteous indignation.

The sandy blond girl with amber eyes who looked like a boy scratched her head and shrugged, looking at her partner. The said partner smiled proudly, her aqua eyes lighting the room, the light from the chandelier from the ceiling hitting directly on her almost aqua hair. Truthfully I was wondering if it was a dye but I felt it would be rude to ask so I didn't. Besides, my own somewhat blue hair wasn't normal either but it was real.

"Ours of course." She said with mirth. I blinked, the anger dissipating as soon as it came. I looked at Troy to see if they were joking but instead he was looking at me worriedly. What?! Was there something on my face? I turned to Rei and Mina who were marveling at the paintings, then to Andrew who stopped about a feet away from me looking worried and then to Lita who was still looking at me with worried eyes.

"Amy Dear, are you ok? You look rather pale. Maybe you should take a seat?" she suggested but her words did not register in my brain.

"You o…own this place?" I asked, my voice cracking. Michelle, the aqua beauty nodded slowly, studying my face, a worried frown now smearing her beautiful smile.

"Yup, own this joint. Though Serena is the real genius. She came up with the design." Amara said animatedly.

Serena….my newly acquired friend…my newly acquired rich friend who gets houses and cars for birthday presents….these two girls who have been chatting with me all this while, seemingly good normal people….they weren't normal. None of them. Not even Troy.

Realization dawned on me…

"No it can't be." I whispered, my head starting to throb painfully.

"Amy…" Andrew said worriedly as he and Troy approached me at the same time.

"Millionaires….billionaires….they are all bil…."

The thought never finished before darkness forcefully claimed me.

* * *

"Amy!" Troy screamed as he reached Amy first, catching her before she could smash her small round head to the carpeted floor.

"Amy? Amy? Amy!" Troy was shouting as he gently shook his lover. The worry and fear in his eyes and face made me slightly envious. To have someone you loved so much that a mere fainting spell could make you lose your mind, would I ever find that?

Rei and Mina rushed over to the fallen Amy just as Lita, and the two owners of the Wind and Water, crowded her. To be honest I was just as shock as Amy was. These two women, though more gorgeous than the average people, that we were slowly getting to know through the ride here were the very owners of this money made heaven. We were talking with millionaires if not billionaires as if they were regular people! How strange.

"It's alright Troy. It's her complex that has activated. She will be awake in a minute. In the meantime, I think we should get to the elevator." I said to them. Troy nodded slowly, not sure what to do. Gathering her up in his arms with ease, we entered the elevator. I watched as the Amara character pressed the thirteenth floor. As the elevator began to move so gently I almost missed it, all eyes turned on me.

"Her complex?" Rei asked, arching one perfectly manicured eyebrow.

I sighed_. Forgive me Amy but if you're going to be friends with these people, they need to know your complex so they don't freak out every time you pass out. _

"Yes, her complex. Her complex against rich people." I answered them, receiving blank disbelieving looks from all of them. I sighed. This was going to be a long elevator ride.

"How do I explain this? Well for status, Amy's family has been indebted to Rei's family since before she was born. In a way, she feels as if she was born into slavery the moment she came out because even before she knew it, she was assigned to be your maid Rei. Over the years, as both Darien and I know, you made Amy your target practice every time you were in a foul mood which seemed to be every day."

Every head turned on Rei, causing her to look down. A blush of shame coloring her cheeks. I hadn't meant to attack her but my own anger at her for her mistreatment of Amy was surfacing. I looked at Troy and if looks could kill, Rei would be a pile of ashes on the floor there and then.

"Although your parents were nice enough, your friends weren't. Your mistreatment of her allowed them to abuse her as well. And of course attending rich people school full of rich snobs who do nothing but pick on others definitely didn't help the matters. Amy has a really kind heart, as often as she can, she takes left over food from your house meant to be trash and goes to give it to the poor people. She saves up her allowances to buy water for them. She would spend nights weaving blankets to give it to them during the winter months. Amy is not the kind of person who can sit still when others around her are suffering. Her care for the poor was what brought on her love for medicine. More than enough times she has had to treat fevers, cuts and other things. She figured that if she became a doctor, she could afford to help the beggars, the poor and the homeless people more than any other profession would allow. Anyways back to the story, being around you, she was privy to rich people's behaviors, especially in regards to money. They buy unnecessary stuff, waste hundreds of dollars on items that they can get for less at regular stores than the boutique, shows not much sympathy to the poor and waste food that others can eat. Sum all of that up and you will understand how she feels. Whenever she experiences one of her complex, she blacks out as if darkness and silence offers relief from the unfairness of the world."

There was a deathly silence following the end of my account. Eyes still filled with disbelief and shock stared down at the sleeping figure of Amy who was still being cradled in the arms of her lover.

"She always looked so green every time I tried to buy her something. When I take her to the store she refuses to pick anything saying they were too expensive. Honestly I was starting to get irritated that she wouldn't let me do anything for her. In my world, money is how we know how to show our affections but in hers, affections are shown more by personality. She would always say that I didn't need to buy her anything to prove that I loved her. I honestly couldn't understand. She smiled and thanked Darien when he gave her something but she would cringe when I tried. I was starting to think that maybe she was in love with Darien. If she had only told me. When I gave Darien his birthday gift, both he and her looked at me, their color nearly green….I didn't know."

"Of course you didn't know…"

* * *

"Of course you didn't know."

"Amy!" he yelled happily as he sat me on my feet and hugged me. I returned the hug gratefully. I had woken up just when Andrew was finishing telling them about my complex. I cringed, waiting for the blast of anger from the others at what Andrew had shared with them.

But no anger, instead a heartfelt confession from my boyfriend. How could I have made this gentle man feel so depressed and even irritated. He let me go and I pushed his golden bangs away from his honey eyes.

"I'm sorry that I didn't explain myself well. Everything Andrew has told you is the sum of where my complexity comes from. I've never been comfortable about using money when it is not necessary. I take Darien's gifts because they are gifts I know didn't course a fortune and most of his gifts are handmade rather. I appreciate you Troy and I appreciate everything you try to do for. I'm only sorry I'm not some other girl who can accept it without complaint." I said to him. He pulled me into his arms, his hug fierce and Lord I loved it.

"You don't need to be any other girl but yourself Amy. I only wish that you had told me earlier. If I'm doing things you're uncomfortable, please explain it to me. Serena told you that I am dense and she is right. I am dense and so cannot figure out people's emotions or thoughts if they don't share them with me." He said gently, tears pulled at my eyes. He was so gentle, always gentle and so loving. How had I been so lucky!?

"I'm sorry about that." I whispered to him

"It's ok. That's what love is. We learn about each other as we go. It's not a one day journey. It takes a lifetime to meet even halfway."

"Well I hope you're not planning on spending your lifetime in the elevator, people need to get through."

Serena's dry humor hit us, causing me to jump away from Troy as if I was a kid caught doing something bad. My face burn. He chuckled though and turned a smile on his sister.

"Hello dearest sister, how fair you this evening?" he said as he approached her and gave her a hug. The others and I followed him out and only then did I notice two people carry bags standing by.

"The elevator is now all yours kind sirs. Please forgive the drama." Serena said with a smile. The men, whose eyes were roaming all over Serena's body unashamed colored upon her words and they hurriedly got into the elevator, looking at Serena with unhidden lust until the elevator doors closed.

"Pigs." Amara muttered. Guess she had noticed the men stares too.

"Aren't all men?"

"Not I!"

"Not Troy!" Troy and I said at the same time to Serena's question. All of them turned catlike grins on me and I flushed. Oh God save me. Love is making me do and say things I never thought I would. Troy leaned close to me and whispered, "Thank you." I looked at him and for that I was glad I stood up for him. I giggled as he grabbed my hand and we followed as Serena led us into her apartment.

Inside the glass, beautifully decorated apartment, aromas of heavenly sent foods greeted us pleasantly.

"Man, this smells so good." Mina moaned. I could have sworn I saw her drool.

Serena chuckled in response.

"This is nothing compared to what Lita and Grandma's food will do to you." She said in reply. I took a look around the room. When we entered the door, we passed through a living room and to our left, a hallway led down to the dining hall which was joined to the kitchen. The sink, counter tops, drawers and cupboards were made entirely of glass. Only the fridge, cook wears, stove, washing machine, oven, utensils and foods were not.

Her apartment surprised me. I thought it would have a lot of things in it like she has at their mansion but instead she had few things, making the room simple yet elegant and beautiful. I had never been found of gold but amidst the glass walls and silver ornaments, the gold fit just right. It felt like home.

Then when we entered the dining hall, we were taken aback by all the delicious foods set up on the table.

"Since I knew you would be dropping by, I figured we could have dinner together." Serena said in reply to our silent inquires.

"Well I for one I'm starving!" Rei said as she grabbed a seat. Serena laughed, her voice beautiful and light. I liked her laughter, it was infectious.

"Well if you can wait just a minute, Darien will be out soon." She said.

"No problem! Where is he anyways?" Mina asked.

"Showering." Was her simple reply.

"By the way love, why were you at the elevator?" Amara asked.

"Oh, my doorbell rang. I thought it was you guys but instead it was Trista."

"Trista is here!?" Michelle said, her eyes sparkling.

"Yes, she and Hotaru will join us in a minute. The two men carrying bags were the ones helping Trista move things into her apartment. Well anyways, she was telling the two men what to do with the bags they were holding and since they were heading towards the elevator, I walked with them while talking to Trista. We were in sight of the elevator when Hotaru began crying and Trista sprinted to her, leaving me with the men who were talking to me. Not wanting to be rude and also knowing the bags they were carrying were heavy, I walked with them to the elevator with the intention of leaving them there when I heard Andrews voice."

"Ahh." We all ahhhed. Serena came and sat by me, taking my hand in hers.

"Amy, I heard half the story. You have many rights to hate rich people. But let me ask you this; is my brother like any of the rich people at your school?" I shook my head vigorously.

"Good. Then know that we are not all the same." She said. I already knew that.

"She was just slightly scared knowing she was walking casually with billionaires." Andrew said with a chuckle. Serena smiled at him.

"I wasn't aware that you would be coming Andrew, but I'm glad you did." She said to him. He smiled in return.

"It was pure luck. Since I couldn't call Darien's house since his mother discontinued the line, I was calling Amy to get in contact with Darien for me when she told me that they were coming to see you and Darien. When they explained what had happen, I really couldn't stay away. I needed to know my man was ok."

"Awww, how sweet."

We all turned around to where Darian leaned against the arch of the dining hall. He was wearing clothes I've never seen him in. All black but the front of the shirt was open, revealing packs I had not been aware that Darien possessed. His hair was in slight disarray, it even looked wet. Standing by the pillar wearing a grin with his arms crossed over his chest, he looked like he belonged right there in the room. Right there in Serena's world. The once nerdy Darien now could pass for a prince or king, his image greatly improved by the love of his life. Slowly but surely, Darien was fitting into their world and somewhere inside of me, I felt lonely, like I was being left behind. My best friend taken from me. I sprung to my feet and rushed to him. Hugging the day light out of him.

"Darien I was so worried!"

"I know Ames, I'm sorry I didn't call earlier. I was asleep till about half an hour ago." He replied before giving me a small kiss on the forehead. I was glad he still treated me the same, it lessened the worry that he might be changed from the friend I've always loved.

"You guys really like to sleep don't you?" Amara muttered. Michelle whacked her on the head.

"After all, if you made carnal love throughout the whole night, I don't think you would have any energy to do anything in the day." Serena said with a deceptively sweet smile. I looked at Darien, expecting him to be totally red but instead I found a warm tender smile on his lips, directed at Serena.

"So this time it wasn't just sleep?" Mina said, causing chuckles to flow out. Darien walked towards Serena, his stride sure and strong.

"During the night no, from morning till now, we just slept." He said before he leaned down and captured her lips in his own.

"Cover your eyes!" I hissed, covering my eyes. The others laughed at my discomfort even as the kiss between Darien and Serena turned passionate. But I couldn't cover my eyes for long. There was just something about the two of them kissing that spoke volumes of besottedness. Even as the kiss deepened, his arms around her were gentled and her gliding hands over his face and neck were lovingly and teasingly appealing. When they came up for air, the look that crossed their faces tore a gasp from my mouth. I covered my mouth, thankful that the others were so shocked at Darien and Serena's display to pay any attention to me.

The look, it spoke volumes of trust, love, lust and beyond. It spoke of a closeness that transcended past physical intimacy, past the beating of their hearts. It spoke of a bond so magnificent, so intangible yet tangible, a bond beyond anyone's control, even theirs.

Suddenly stories of star cross lovers flooded my head. The soul mate bonds that many seek and yet no one knew it to be truly real suddenly took life in the form of the two lovers before her. And in the gentle caress of their eyes, I could not help but think that my two friends have marked each other's soul. In this world and time or another, they could love no one else but each other.

They were bound for life….no…they were bound for eternity.

I envied them…. slightly….

* * *

After walking out of the bedroom, I followed the sound of voices through what looked to be a living room and further down to a dining room connected to a kitchen. Every one of our friends was here, including Andrew! A big smile began to tug at my lips but as I was about to call out his name, Serena's figure came to sight and I stopped dead in my tracks. I stood there for a minute, ogling her perfectly round ass wrapped in a body fitting dress that landed teasingly on her mid thighs. As if sensing my arousing gaze on her, she turned in my direction, giving me a warm smile.

I returned the smile long enough to tease Andrew before Amy screamed my name and suddenly all attention was on me. Even as I was hugging everyone who came to greet me, I could not tear my eyes from my lovely angel. And when I could no longer stand being away from her, I strode toward her. The reward of her temptingly sweet lips nearly undid me, I had meant for the kiss to be chase and sweet but oh boy, breaking away became impossible and before I knew it out kiss started to deepen. I wanted to take her right there and then. To bury myself in her repeatedly until we were a single entity rather than two individuals. But we had guests and I had to behave. Drawing back ever so slowly from the kiss, I let a gentle smile stretch on my face, my eyes warm with complete love and adoration for this perfect woman sitting before me. In her eyes, I found the love I felt for her returned back to me ten times fold.

"Feeling better?" she asked, cupping my face and kissing my forehead soothingly.

"Always am when I'm with you love." I answered, placing my own hands atop hers before sliding her fingers down my cheeks to my lips. She giggled at the sensation of my lips on her fingers.

"Dinner is ready. Hopefully you like something. I wasn't sure what you liked."

"Whatever you made love, if they taste anything like you I will be in heaven." She burst out in a full throaty laughter at my answer. I smiled down at her, delighted at the sound of her laughter.

I had totally forgotten that we had an audience until Andrew cough loudly. Serena and I both turned to them, then back to each other with a blank faces.

"Who are they?" I asked her

"Don't know. Something the wind curried in." she answered. Amara growled, causing all of us to burst out in laughter.

"Ok, meal time." Serena said, holding my hand and guiding me to the dining table. Everyone moved to occupy a seat.

The dining table was a round glass table with ten glass-looking chairs around it. The chairs matched the designs of the table but it was clearly not glass and it had a patted pillow. I took the seat right by Serena and as we were all getting comfortable, the music I had heard earlier in the closet room filled the room again. Serena stood up to go get the door and my eyes trailed her until she turned the corner where I could no longer see her. I turned my eyes back to eight curious eyes looking at me with a knowing smile.

"Oh go to hell." I said and they all burst out in laughter.

"Darien you damn lucky dog! If Rena wasn't your girl I'd be all over her." He said with a laugh.

"Rena?" I asked with a brow.

"Yup! Our nickname for her." Amy said enthusiastically. Is it stupid to feel jealous? Cause that's exactly how I felt. How dare they feel close to MY Angel and decide to nickname her without my approval. But I kept my jealousy down, not wanting to cause any drama.

"So how was school?" I asked. Just then, Serena and a tall woman holding a little girl appeared.

"Trista!" Michelle and Amara announced before they bolted up to go hug the woman and the child. With a wide smile, Lita followed suit. As the other three hugged the new woman and baby, Serena reoccupied her seat by me, taking my hand underneath the table and squeezing it gently. I turned to her with a smile and boy I wanted to kiss her so bad.

"Ok, introduction time." Lita said. That gave me a little strength of will to turn my head away from my tempting lady to once again gaze up on the woman. She had long dark hair with greenish undertone. She was tall, in a pink skirt suit and elegantly beautiful. But she was still nothing compared to my Angel. No one would be as gorgeous as my Serena. The child she held looked to be about a year old with dark locks of black hair and deep set dark purple eyes. I had to wonder if the color of her eyes were real.

"This lady here is Trista Meioh and her daughter is Hotaru. Trista, Hotaru, these are our new friends. Amy who is Troy's girl, Mina, Rei, Andrew and Darien who is Serena's boyfriend." Lita introduced. We all nodded as she mentioned our names.

"Good evening everyone, it is pleasure to meet all of you." She said, her voice hinting an ascent I could not identify.

"Well grab a seat, I am hungry." Serena said, causing the woman to chuckle.

Trista took the seat across from me, setting her child on her lap. Finally, the food was uncovered and boy did my stomach growled. Everything looked so mouth wateringly good. There was curry chicken, chicken and herb stew that had chunks of potatoes in it, fried and plain rice, steamed vegetables, salad and various dressings, chicken and broccoli, tilapia and tofu. Everything was steaming hot and the aroma was heavenly. You could tell that the person who had set up the table had done so thoughtfully for it was clean and decorative.

"You made all this?" I asked, glancing at her with wide eyes. She nodded. Ok so tell me if this is fair. Not only was this woman beautiful, smart and incredibly kind, she also can cook. If I was a woman, I would be so incredibly jealous of her.

"Since I tend to travel a lot, both Grandma and Lita made it their business to teach me how to cook so that I am not always eating out." She replied. "But this is nothing compared to what grandma and Lita can do."

"Oh Please, your food as just as good as mine!" Lita said, blushing furiously at the compliment. Serena laughed at that.

"She owns a restaurant but cannot take compliments for the amazing food she cooks." Serena said in a tragic dramatic voice. Lita growled, causing the little girl to giggle. I smiled at her before reaching across the table to her. She met my hand halfway, her little hand touching mine shyly.

"Hello Hatoru, it is very nice to meet you. My name is Darien." I said, watching a smile spread on her innocent face and then she did something that seemed to surprise us all, she raised her other hand up in the gesture that indicated that she wanted to be picked up. I briefly looked at Trista for permission and she nodded but the surprise did not leave her face. I reached out both of my hands across the table and picked up the little bundle of joy. Without realizing it, I started to coo to the child and she laughed merely, which caused me to laugh as well. She reached out one tiny hand and placed on my cheek and then started to bounce up and down on my leg in happy jittery.

"Da da" she cried happily. Trista gasped loudly, looking at me with wide eyes. I raised a brow at her, only then noticing that everyone's attention was on me and little Hotaru.

"I never knew you were that good with kids." Amy said quietly as if thinking. I shrugged.

"This is actually the first child I have ever held and besides, look at her, she is so darn cute!" I exclaimed, earning a grin from the three older women.

"She is isn't she? Yes, yes that she is." Amara said, nodding and answering her own assessment. I felt someone's burning gaze on me and when I turned toward the eyes that could see through my soul, I was welcomed with a soft smile filled with pride.

"You will make a good father someday." She said before turning back to the food.

_Only if you are the mother of my children._ I thought but decided that the whole table didn't need to know that. I would share it with her when we were alone. She started to pile a plate, asking me what I wanted. I realized that she was making a plate for me because I was holding Hotaru. The others all joined in, piling up their own plates too. I looked up briefly to show her my thanks when she placed the food in front of me before turning back to Hotaru. And when finally all had their plate ready to be emptied, Trista took Hotaru upon her own lap.

"Rena dear, why don't you say grace for us?" Michelle said and my Angel nodded. Bowing our heads, she uttered words of thanks and of gratitude for the new friends she'd made and especially for the love of her life. I was so happy to hear that. She finished the pray with hopes of blessings and strength to endure what life had in store for us.

"Amen." We all uttered before picking up our forks and spoons. It was completely unintentional when several voices, mine included moaned in ecstasy at the taste of the food. It was so delicious and juicy and good.

"I need your recipe!" Mina said and Serena laughed.

"No, you need lessons from Lita. Honestly, recipe will do you no good if you don't have the right guidance from the master chef herself." She replied.

"Lita?" Mina said, her eyes glowing. "Will you marry me?"

Lita blushed to the root of her being as we laughed.

"Lita, if you can cook better than this then why are you single!?" Rei asked, making Lita blush again.

"Because I choose to be." She answered, her chin up and proud.

"Men complicate matters." Amara said.

"Ain't that the truth." Serena replied, looking at me with a teasing smile. I didn't take offense at that because I knew she was just joking.

"I'm sure you're not talking about me right my lovely Angel?" I said sweetly, playing her teasing game.

"Of course not." She said with all the patience of a mother talking to her daft child. I growled at that. We continued to eat with Serena, Trista, Amara and Lita conversing over things the rest of us did not know or understand but we didn't take offense. The food was too good that it captured our attention totally.

"So are you going to stay here from now on?" Amy whispered to me. Well at least she thought it was a whisper but apparently everyone heard and the four's conversation stopped. Amy blushed from having been overheard. To be honest I didn't know how to answer the question. I knew Serena would help me out if I asked her, but I hadn't yet and she hadn't mentioned anything to me about where I would be staying. I folded my fingers underneath the table, hoping to think up a real quick lie that would deflect the blow but I didn't have to.

"Yes. This is Darien's new home now. This apartment is his from now on." Serena answered. My head whipped around to look at her, but she continued eating as if she hadn't said anything.

"Welcome home bro." Amara said with a huge cat like grin. I smiled uncertainly at her, my eyes reverting back to Serena immediately. For some strange reason I was upset at her.

I mean I'm glad that she had taken the initiative to help me out but to decide where I would be staying without checking with me somehow irritated. But then, where else could I go. I decided to let it go for now until we were alone.

Light hearted conversations floated about the dining hall, a pleasantly warm aura wafting about us as if we've been good friends since diapers when in fact we'd meet little over a month ago.

Sooner than was expected, our meal came to a close and all dishes were washed, rinsed out and put away and the dining table was cleared.

Our friends finally said their goodbyes, making us promise that we wouldn't skip school tomorrow and when finally all had left, I fell onto the living room sofa with exhaustion. I sat there by myself for a while, thinking about this new home and the bitter taste that was starting to scotch my mouth. I knew Serena meant well but would it always be like this? Her making the decisions and I just following along? I shook my head to get rid of the unpleasant emotions starting to take root in my mind.

"I'm sorry." My head snapped to the wall behind the sofa where Serena stood looking outside to the darkened inner court. She didn't need to explain to me why she was saying sorry, I knew already. Suddenly my bothered thoughts cleared and the unpleasant emotion uprooted and disintegrated. I stood from the sofa I laid on, moving to stand behind her and wrapping my arms around her slim waist.

"It's ok. I love you." I whispered to her, my breath tickling her outer ear.

"I thought you knew you'd be staying here when I showed you where I put all your stuff. I didn't mean to make decisions for you. I guess I've become too comfortable with the idea that what belongs to me belongs to you. I'm sorry I didn't take your feelings into consideration."

"It's alright Serena. It is ok. I am very grateful to you for this home. It is beyond beautiful. I don't even know how I can repay your kindness." I whispered into her ears, licking it at the same time too. She moaned softly.

"You don't need to repay anything my love. What belongs to me is yours as well. Be not afraid to do as you please. I want you to be happy." She said quietly. Immense gratitude filled my heart. I turned her around slowly in my arms, smiling down at her the whole time.

"Thank you." She smiled shyly at me before looking away with a slight blush on her lovely cheeks and I was pleased. I didn't think she could be shy. There really were a lot of things about this woman I didn't know but I would someday. I will spend eternity studying her if I must. I took her chin onto two of my fingers and lifted her face to me as I leaned down, caressing her lips slightly with my own.

"You are too amazing Angel. Someday I hope to be truly worthy of you." I said before capturing her lips in a gentle kiss. From her lips, I moved my lips over her cheeks and face and finally to her neck all in a caressing movement. My hands gently busied themselves over her body, touching her softly, reverently.

"You are more than worthy of me love. Believe that and believe in yourself." She said kindly, touching my face ever so gently. Her kiss was so soft and yet so arousing that I felt my member throb in response to her. I deepened the kiss slight before lifting her up and walking over to the sofa. I deposited her on it gently, my body sliding on hers immediately. On the sofa we kissed, caressed and when that was not enough for us, we helped each other out of our clothes.

Not wanting to rush anything, I slowly kissed over her stomach and down her legs, bypassing her inner folds and down to her feet. I turned her around so that her back was to me and I repeated the process on this side too. Everything about this love making was gentle. We had started out with mind boggling, heart pounding and body thrusting love making but I wanted her to know that there was another way to make love. A more soft and gentle way that was just as fulfilling as the wild brushing of our skins. I let my tongue glide over her entire body, my fingers helping by caressing everywhere it touched before finally lowering to her folds which was wet and ready for me. I slowly ran my tongue over it, meeting her inner fire and quenching my thirst with her juice. When I could hold myself back no more, I entered her, instantly stopping her whimpering into a sigh of delight. Locking gazes with my Angel, I moved in and out in slow rhythmic strokes that were both exhilarating and torturous at the same time. My blood burned as if demanding that I move faster into her, deeper and wilder but my member, haven been abused so much the night before was content with this slow drive. But I couldn't just think of myself could I?

I leaned down to caress my Angel's lips with my own, loving the way her eyes trailed my lips as if she was trying to engrave it into her memory, into her heart.

"I can go faster." I told her but she shook her head.

"This is fine. My baby needs gentle torture right now so it can rest." She said with a smile and I returned it before capturing her heavy breast in my mouth. My lips caressed and kneaded, sucked and nipped the nipple while my other hand did the same thing to her other breast. Minutes later I switched the attention onto her other breast, completely elated at the moans of pleasure escaping her throaty lips.

"I love you." I told her, meaning every word.

"And I you Darien. Now and forever." We sealed that vow with a tender kiss and made gentle love until exhaustion claimed us both, blanketing us into dark oblivion.

* * *

Merry Christmas one and all.

Enjoy and review!


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